Over 13,000 children waiting for first contact from disability teams

Michael Bolton

Figures have shown that over 13,000 children are waiting for first contact from Child Disability Network Teams (CDNT).

Figures released by the HSE under the Freedom of Information Act show at the end of October, there were 13,393 children waiting for first contact from CDNT, with 9,265 children waiting over a year.

CDNTs comprise health and social care professionals, including nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, social work and others.

Community Health Organisation (CHO) 9, which covers Dublin North, North Central and North West, has 2,890 waiting for first contact from a disability team. This is up from the 2,779, in the last figures published.

Of the 2890 children waiting, 2,544 are waiting over a year.

In CHO 7, which covers Kildare/ West Wicklow, Dublin West, Dublin South City, and Dublin South West, there is 2,580 waiting for first contact, with 1,923 waiting over a year. This is up slightly from figures at the end of August, which showed 2,562 children waiting in this area.

In the same area, there is 337 children waiting between seven and 12 months.

CHO 5, which covers South Tipperary, Carlow/Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford, has 1,535 children waiting for first contact from a diability team.

At CHO 8, which represents Laois/Offaly, Longford/Westmeath, Louth and Meath, there are 1,518 children waiting for first contact from a team.

CHO6, covering Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin South East, has 1,474 on waiting lists, with 1,193 children waiting over 12 months for contact.

The CDNTs are currently providing services and supports for over 42,000 children and strategies and supports for urgent cases on the wait list where staffing resources allow.

In October, there were 942 children who were on a waiting list who participated in one or more individual and/or group intervention appointments.

The model of service for all CDNTs is family-centred and based on the needs of the child. This includes universal, targeted and specialised supports and interventions, as appropriate to the individual child and family.

In 2021, the remainder of 91 multidisciplinary CDNTs, now 93 CDNTs, were established in 96 Network areasto provide services and supports for all children, from birth to 18 years of age, with complex needs, within a defined geographic area.