Counselling delay is intolerable

IT is appalling that victims of sexual abuse are waiting up to two years before receiving full-time counselling support from a State scheme set up to help people recover after their traumatic experience.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has to explain why more than 11,000 people are waiting for treatment after being referred to the government’s National Counselling Service for adults who experienced abuse in childhood.

A community-based service, it was set up six years ago this month to provide counselling for adults abused in institutions and operates under the HSE umbrella. Since then, its scope has been broadened to include people abused in other settings.