'We are at our limit': Cork mother told son must wait six years to see psychologist

The woman said that caring for her son without any state supports, along with her two other children, had 'destroyed' the family

The boy, who is on the autism spectrum, must wait nearly six years before being reviewed by a HSE psychologist in terms of his emotional needs.

A Cork mother has spoken of her frustration at being told her son, who is on the autism spectrum, must wait nearly six years before being reviewed by a HSE psychologist in terms of his emotional needs.

Ruth (not her real name), who lives in the east of the county, said that her son – now four – had been presenting challenging behaviour for more than two years, with a private occupational therapy assessment of his condition indicating that he has autism.

Following the recent completion of an assessment-of-need process, the HSE informed Ruth that her son would require evaluation for three different therapies – occupational, speech and language, and psychology.

However, the primary care psychology appointment was subsequently set for October of 2030, a near six-year wait.

“Our fear is it will be even longer,” she told the Irish Examiner.

She said that caring for her son without any state supports, along with her two other children, had “destroyed” the family.

“It has really hurt us. We miss out on family events, friends’ events. It impacts our marriage because we can’t get a regular childminder. It impacts the other children because they’re witnessing us firefighting constantly,” Ruth said.

“And that’s what it is really, firefighting. We’ve a limited skillset to handle this. There’s the cost to my career too because I’ve had to take time out. But that has to be done, because statistically if we support him now he’ll do better later.”  

The Cork/Kerry region has seen the number of children awaiting initial psychological consultations – a precursor to a possible referral to the CAMHS dedicated child mental health service – balloon in recent years.

At the end of May 2024 more than 5,000 children were on a waiting list. That figure had risen to 6,222 by the end December 2024, according to updated HSE figures.

Of that number, 4,000 children and adolescents have now been waiting for more than a year for their appointment.

Social Democrats TD for East Cork Liam Quaide said that the figures had been “growing in plain sight for years”.

Social Democrats TD for East Cork Liam Quaide said that the figures had been “growing in plain sight for years”.

“The answer is an extensive recruitment drive to meet that level of need, not redeploying psychologists from other services where they have chosen to work, and potentially undermining those other services,” Mr Quaide said. This is in reference to previously-mooted HSE plans to move staff from other areas to try to tackle the chronic shortage of psychology services in the region.

A HSE spokesperson said the service “sincerely regrets” the waiting times for primary care psychology.

“We are working to reduce this. We accept the impact on children waiting for appointments at this service, and we are very aware of the importance to young people and their families of timely access to services,” they said, adding that the situation has been compounded “due to both a very significant increase in the number of referrals, as well as staffing challenges”.

“All children should have access to these supports,” Ruth said meanwhile.

Financial hit

“Families shouldn’t have to take a financial hit. When trying to find a preschool for your child you shouldn’t be hearing ‘we’re at our limit’. Because we as parents are at our limit. We need help and we need support. Our son is highly intelligent and verbal and the outlook is positive, but there are enormous challenges 24 hours a day every day. We’re told that an intervention is essential. Well, if it’s essential to get an intervention then why are we being made to wait 5 years 10 months?”