Therapy hours for children with disabilities fall despite rise in staff levels

The team operated by the HSE in Dublin’s north inner city was the only one of the 91 teams to report having a 0% vacancy rate at the end of 2023. Picture:iStock

The number of therapy hours provided by children’s disability services in Ireland decreased slightly last year, despite a 3% increase in staffing levels.

The latest annual workforce review of the country’s 91 children’s disability network teams (CDNTs) operated by the HSE and agencies including Enable Ireland, the Brothers of Charity, and the Central Remedial Clinic, reveals there was an average vacancy rate of 36% in staff positions across the sector at the end of 2023 — up from 34% in 2022.