Parents say vulnerable hit by cuts in therapy services

Drastic cuts in therapy services for “the most vulnerable children” are causing stress and anxiety to parents.

The claim was made yesterday by parents of 52 children, in the moderate to severe needs category, at St Francis Special School, in Beaufort, Co Kerry, who are pleading with the HSE to restore services.

Parents’ Association chair Mary Mahony said the HSE had taken away services under the guise of integrating children’s services.

“In general terms, the service provided by speech therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers is reduced by 90%.”

Children who had been receiving speech therapy once a week had received no therapy since October.

Others who had visited a physiotherapist three times a week until October had a physiotherapist only every second week between October and February, but had none since as a physiotherapist was on sick leave, she added.

“Having regular physiotherapy could be the difference of being able to walk or being left in a wheelchair for some of these children.

“These are the most vulnerable of children, but they’re being left to languish away. We feel the HSE thinks these children are not worth the effort. What’s happening is very, very stressful for families.”

Other parents said a lack of speech therapy for autistic children could result in such children becoming frustrated and aggressive and having to end up in State care.

A HSE spokesperson said it is reconfiguring existing therapy resources for children into geographic-based teams in partnership with St John of God, Brothers of Charity and Enable Ireland, in Kerry.

The new social work service is a very positive development for families, according to the HSE, which, at the same time, acknowledged a ‘’temporary deficit’’ in speech therapy and physiotherapy due to long-term sick leave. She also said a new occupational therapist will be in place in May.

Parents, meanwhile, are arranging a public meeting with councillors and TDs.