Psychologists slam plans for assessment of children

The main body representing psychologists has slammed the HSE over proposals to change its Assessment of Need process for children, claiming it could lead to wrong diagnoses.

The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI), which has almost 3,000 members, intervened after the HSE said it was going to introduce a new screening process as part of the Assessment of Need (AON), which is supposed to allow children to be diagnosed and then apply for resources.

The current system is already the subject of a number of court judicial reviews after families claimed the HSE was not meeting its statutory requirements on AON, namely that the AON commences within three months of the application, and that it then be completed within another three months, including the furnishing of all relevant reports regarding what resources would then be required for the child.