Almost 4,800 children in Cork and Kerry awaiting psychology appointments

The mild or moderate behaviours exhibited by those seeking a child psychology appointment could include anxiety or depression, but do not include self-harm or suicidal ideation. File picture

There are now almost 4,800 children waiting for a child psychology appointment across Cork and Kerry alone, with the numbers surging by 25% in less than a year.

The HSE has admitted half of the funded posts in the service are vacant and that it is struggling to recruit psychologists.

The waiting list is nearly five times that of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) mental health service programme, which is a service for children and adolescents living with moderate to severe mental health issues.

According to the latest statistics, there are now 4,788 children and adolescents waiting on an appointment for child psychology for mild or moderate mental health difficulties. That is 931 more than were on the waiting list in June 2023. By contrast, the number of children awaiting a Camhs referral in Cork and Kerry at present is 976.

At present, there are 2,847 children in Cork and Kerry who have been waiting more than a year for a psychology appointment — 760 more than was the case in June of last year. A HSE spokesperson said it “sincerely regrets” the waiting lists currently being seen.

“We accept the impact on children waiting for appointments at both services, and we are very aware of the importance to young people and their families of timely access to services."

Regarding the massive jump in waiting times for child psychology treatment, the spokesperson said the HSE is “facing challenges in providing timely access due to both a very significant increase in the number of referrals, as well as staffing challenges”.

They said that more than half of the funded posts in the service are vacant and the recruitment of psychologists is currently “very difficult”.

Risk of delays

The mild or moderate behaviours exhibited by those seeking a child psychology appointment could include anxiety or depression, but do not include self-harm or suicidal ideation.

However, serious problems can result for children who do not get an appointment in a timely fashion, according to one psychologist working in the field.

“The risk with not getting support at primary care level is that the mental health difficulties get worse and the young person ends up needing Camhs later,” the psychologist said.

The latest statistics were given to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, who described the sheer scale of the waiting lists as “staggering”, adding that they represent a “crisis”, one which has “slipped under the radar”.

“The earlier we intervene and provide mental health support, the less likely it is that the young person’s mental health difficulties will become entrenched or get worse,” she said.

“Each individual on that waiting list represents a child who is being actively denied the care they need,” she added.

'Less than desirable'

In delivering the figures to Ms Cairns, the HSE’s head of service for primary care in Cork/Kerry, Priscilla Lynch, apologised that the timeframe involved is "less than desirable".

Nevertheless, the HSE moved to “reassure” parents that referrals to the child psychology service are triaged “so that children are directed to the most appropriate service”.

Ms Cairns, meanwhile, said she was further concerned that no detail is given as to how long those on the longer-than-12 months lists have actually been waiting.

“We have no idea whether they have been waiting for 13 months, two years, three years or more,” she said.