Over 9,300 children waiting for first contact from disability teams

Michael Bolton

There were 9,363 children waiting for first contact from a Child Disability Network Team (CDNT) at the end of 2025.

Figures from the HSE show 6,035 children are waiting over a year for first contact from a CDNT.

However, only 799 children on the CDNT waiting list participated in appointments during November 2025.

There are signs of progress. In July 2023, the National CDNT waiting list was 16,522, with a 43 per cent drop at the end of last year.

In 2025, the waiting list was dropped by 27 per cent from 12,920.

At HSE Dublin Midlands, which covers Dublin South City and West and Dublin South West, Kildare, West Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath, 2,556 children are waiting for first contact.

Of those children, 1890 are waiting for first contact.

HSE Dublin and North East, which covers North Dublin, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and most of Cavan, has 2,355 children waiting to hear from a CDNT, with 1,555 children waiting over a year.

In HSE Dublin and South East, covering Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, and most of Wicklow, 2,234 children have not had first contact with a CDNT.

The figures show 1,657 are waiting over a year in this Regional Healthcare Area (RHAs).

At HSE Midwest, covering Clare, Limerick, and North Tipperary, 1,211 children are waiting for first contact, with 622 children waiting over a year.

HSE West and North West, which provides care for Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, West Cavan, Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, has 504 children waiting for first contact.

HSE South West, providing care for Cork and Kerry, also has just over 500 children waiting for first contact. The figures show 152 of the children are waiting over a year for first contact from a CDNT.

CDNTs are currently providing services and supports for 44,739 children and strategies and supports for waitlisted children with urgent needs, where staffing resources allow.

There are 93 CDNTs aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks (CHNs) across the country, providing services and supports for children aged from birth to 18 years of age.