State is ‘utterly failing vulnerable children’ on Camhs wait lists

New HSE data shows Cork and Kerry account for over half of all year-long Camhs waits as TDs demand urgent action

Data released to TDs from the Social Democrats and Sinn Féin show what was described as 'a time bomb waiting to happen', with the majority of those waiting over 52 weeks based in the HSE South West region. Picture: iStock

The State has been accused of “utterly failing vulnerable children” as stark figures show over 500 children are waiting for more than a year for an appointment with Camhs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) across the country.

The majority of those waiting over 52 weeks are based in the HSE South West region, with 305 children in Cork and Kerry left languishing on lists for over 12 months. Some 991 children nationwide are waiting over nine months.