Almost 45,000 children on 'appalling' waiting lists for speech and language help

HSE information obtained by Cork TD, Sean Sherlock, revealed that 44,592 children are on waiting lists for speech and language services across Ireland.

Almost 45,000 children across Ireland are on waiting lists for speech and language assessments and therapy, according to the latest figures from the HSE.

More than 14,000 of these children have been waiting for more than 12 months for services.

HSE information obtained by Cork TD, Sean Sherlock, revealed that 44,592 children are on waiting lists for speech and language services across Ireland.

More than 16,000 children are awaiting initial assessments, with around 3,600 on waiting lists for over 12 months.

A further 9,574 were waiting for initial therapy, with almost half waiting more than a year.

Some 18,552 more were awaiting further therapy with more than 6,000 on waiting lists for more than a year.

The HSE pointed out the figures do not paint the full picture as some counties, including Sligo, Leitrim, Wicklow, Longford and Westmeath, provided no data due to staff being redeployed to the frontline fight against Covid-19.

The waiting lists were labelled “appalling" by Dr Judith Butler, a researcher and lecturer in Early Childhood Education and Care at the Munster Technological University (MTU).

“This is simply appalling and hugely concerning,” Dr Butler said after examining the latest waiting list figures.

Speech and language therapy provides treatment to children who have difficulties with communication, swallowing, eating and drinking, etc.

“These figures that show almost 45,000 children are on waiting lists for speech and language therapy across Ireland are scandalous,” she added.

“Some 14,000 are waiting over 12 months, some are waiting over two years.

“I am aware of children who have been waiting at least a year for their first speech and language therapy appointment, after an initial assessment.

“This is totally alarming. Parents are powerless.” 

Dr Butler said children in need of speech and language services cannot afford to wait so long for them.

“If our children don't get the necessary intervention and support at the right time it can have serious negative implications and outcomes for the children right throughout the lifespan,” she explained.

“In other words, it will really affect their overall development and their long-term future developmentally.

“Early intervention is simply fundamental to children presenting with speech and language difficulties,” she said.

The sooner a child gets specialist intervention therapies the better the outcome.

Mr Sherlock, who obtained the information from the HSE, said more resources are needed to tackle the problem when the Covid emergency passes.

“We need to ensure, as we ramp up vaccine delivery and regular community healthcare resumes, that there is a sharp increase in funding and ongoing resources to deal with this issue.

“We can mitigate longer-term issues if we take action now."

In the response to Mr Sherlock, TJ Dunford, HSE interim head of operations for Primary Care and Community Operations, said: “The spread of Covid-19 is posing significant challenges for many service areas, including all therapy services.

“As this is an evolving and unprecedented situation, the HSE will keep matters in review and will advise clients and/or family members accordingly.”