Laois children left on long waiting lists 'deserve better'

Laois children deserve better than the long waiting lists they face for help with mental health issues.

So insists local Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has said that hundreds of children are waiting long periods to access care through the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

“Children in Laois and Offaly deserve better mental health services. They should not have to wait to access mental health services," he told the Dáil.

He said that in the health area CHO8, which Laois and Offaly are part of, 685 children are waiting to be seen by a CAHMS. He claimed this was an increase of 425 in the past three years. Dep Stanley said 115 are waiting over a year.

"CHO8 is the second worst area in the state for waiting times. We have also seen the unacceptable postcode lottery of care continue to exist with certain counties receiving a lower quality of care.

"Children with a dual diagnosis of mental ill-health and an intellectual disability are falling through the cracks as are neurodiverse children. Parents, children and stakeholders have been highlighting the crisis in children’s mental health which has gotten worse under this Government," he said.

A statement issued by Dep Stanley said Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward, has brought forward a bill to regulate children’s mental health services which he said would drive improvements, and help tackle waiting lists.  

He said a Mental Health Commission’s report into CAMHS highlighted several issues with CAMHS, including children lost to follow-up, lack of monitoring of psychiatric medicines, unacceptable waiting times for high-risk referrals and many more operational issues.

He said Government must support legislation.

"This cannot be kicked down the road. Children in Laois and Offaly cannot wait any longer for the regulation of CAMHS,” said