Ireland’s Disability Services in Crisis: Almost 13,000 Children Waiting to Be Seen – Over 18,000 Still Await Assessment of Need
At Don’t Leave Them Behind, we are raising the alarm on a crisis that is worsening by the day. Across Ireland, nearly 13,000 children with disabilities are stuck on waiting lists to be seen by HSE Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). Many have waited more than 12 months just for an initial appointment—some for far longer.
Even more shocking, over 18,000 children are awaiting an Assessment of Need (AON). This assessment is a legal right under the Disability Act 2005 and is meant to ensure children are seen within six months. Yet across the country, thousands of families are being failed as deadlines are missed and services struggle to cope.
Where is the worst affected?
CHO 9—which includes north Dublin and the inner city—has the highest backlog, with 2,411 children waiting to be seen. Labour TD Marie Sherlock, whose constituency falls within this area, is calling for urgent government action, warning: “The system is creaking at the seams.”
Sherlock revealed the biggest bottleneck is in access to psychology, where over 23,800 children are on a waiting list nationally, and 10,700 of those have been waiting for more than a year. Other services like speech and language therapy and occupational therapy face similar backlogs, with 18,934 children in total waiting to access these vital supports.
What’s behind the delays?
Chronic staff shortages, long-standing underinvestment, and the diversion of resources away from assessments are key contributors. The HSE acknowledges these issues and says it currently supports 43,000 children across its CDNTs. But frontline workers, educators, and families are crying out for urgent intervention.
In schools, teachers are often left managing the complex needs of children without any external support, while parents are left battling a system that seems more broken than ever. The impact on children’s education, development, and mental health is immeasurable.
The facts:
- 12,800+ children waiting to be seen by CDNTs
- 18,190 children waiting for an AON
- 10,700+ waiting over a year for access to psychology
- 5,154 children waiting over 12 months for therapy
We demand urgent change.
This is not just a service issue—it’s a rights issue. Every child has the right to timely support. Don’t Leave Them Behind is calling for a nationwide, fully resourced plan to clear waiting lists, hire more specialist staff, and deliver on Ireland’s legal and moral obligations to children with disabilities.
If your family is affected or you want to share your story, contact us at info@dontleavethembehind.com
Together, we can make sure no child is left behind.