‘It’s very distressing for parents and for the children’

MINISTER Tim O’Malley’s suggestion of exaggerated waiting lists has been challenged by a Limerick school principal who knows all too well about the trouble caused to children, their families and teachers by delays in getting psychiatric assessments.

Seamus Long runs and teaches at St John the Baptist boys’ national school in inner-city Limerick and understands the frustrations felt in these situations.

“It’s very distressing for parents and for the children themselves. Many of them clearly can’t understand their situation as clearly as they would a physical ailment like a toothache, which makes things more distressful,” he said.

As the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation Limerick and Kerry district representative, he is aware that the waiting time for a psychiatric assessment in the region is about 14 months, but last summer there were much longer delays.

“I know of a child who waited more than a year and a half to be assessed, only to have it carried out a few weeks before finishing primary school last summer. I’ve been told the only way to get assessed urgently is if a child is threatening self- harm or suicide,” he said.

Mr Long also highlighted the waiting times for psychological assessments faced by pupils with special educational needs in the mid-west region, which includes Mr O’Malley’s Limerick East constituency.

“We have the lowest level of coverage by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), with just 30% of schools having direct access to its staff. But imagine the outcry if Limerick had only 30% of its intended garda numbers,” he said.

Mr Long added there were clear links between psychological and psychiatric problems, with a recent British study finding that 49% of children aged between five and 15 with psychiatric difficulties also had some level of special educational need, compared to just 15% of other children.

The figure is as high as 71% among those with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or attention deficit disorder.

“The serious under- staffing of NEPS and the HSE child and adolescent psychological services means too many pupils with complex social and mental health problems are not being identified at all, or (are identified) too late.

“Unless there is early intervention, the consequences can be poor attendance and underachievement at school, frequent suspension, dropping out early, anti-social behaviour, juvenile delinquency, unemployment and poverty, poor health, mental illness, homelessness, imprisonment, suicide or death by violence,” he said.