Number of children seeking help with eating disorders doubles in six months in Cork/Kerry

The number of children seeking support with eating disorders in Cork and Kerry more than doubled within the first six months of this year.

Health Service Executive South West branch data shows that some 31 children across Cork and Kerry were waiting to be seen by the Child and Adolescent Regional Eating Disorder Service (CAREDS) between January and June this year, a 106% increase on the 15 waiting to be seen during the same timeframe in 2025.

CAREDS, with a base on the Model Farm Rd, became operational in 2019 and caters to children with disordered eating habits in Cork and Kerry.

Treatment is provided through a specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) multidisciplinary team, working under the national clinical programme for eating disorders.

More than 1,000 children were waiting to be seen by CAMHS across the region, of whom 941 were waiting to be seen across Cork Community CAMHS and 109 across Kerry CAMHS.

That amounts to 1,050 children in Cork and Kerry waiting to be seen by CAMHS, a slight decrease from 2025.

According to HSE South West, 905 children were waiting to be seen by CAMHS in Cork during the first half of 2025, with 150 waiting in Kerry. That brings the total figure to 1,055.

A spokesperson for HSE South West said that reduced waiting times remain “a priority”, with “a range of measures currently being progressed to improve access and reduce wait times”.

Measures include regular clinical validation and risk review of waiting lists, protected initial-assessment appointments, urgent-assessment protocols, prioritisation of children who are waiting longest, targeted ADHD assessment clinics, strengthened single-point-of-access arrangements, active review of open caseloads, and improved discharge and transition planning.

“HSE South West also continues to work to strengthen multidisciplinary staffing, specialist clinical capacity, practice-management, and administrative support,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson additionally welcomed the development of dedicated national standards for CAMHS, following the recent launch of a six-week public consultation on the framework.