Holly Cairns
Question:60. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to address staffing shortages on Children’s Disability Network Teams. [32533/23]
View answerDisability Services
Questions (60)
Written answers
Children with complex needs access therapy services through the Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). The Government and the HSE both acknowledge the challenges in meeting the demand for these crucial services and are acutely aware of how these challenges impact on children and their families. Waiting lists for services are being driven mainly by a shortage of suitably qualified therapy professionals to staff CDNTs.
The HSE and the various Lead Agencies are experiencing ongoing challenges recruiting staff across a range of disciplines and grades to fully staff each team to maximum capacity. These challenges are reflective of the issues affecting the wider health and social care sector.
Prior to the introduction of the Progressing Disability Services (PDS) Programme, children in different parts of the country with the same needs could be given varying levels of service, based on geography rather than need. The core principle of PDS is to achieve fairer and more equitable access to services for all children with disabilities based on their needs.
The current delays in accessing therapy services, directly related to vacancies across the CDNT network, are acknowledged and work is ongoing by the HSE to maximise the capacity of CDNTs via recruitment campaigns, and other initiatives.
Funding has been provided for additional posts in recent years to enhance the capacity of Children’s Disability Network Teams and shorten waiting times. The overall funding in recent years provides for over 600 Whole Time Equivalent posts. These additional posts are testament to the proof of this Government’s firm commitment to support the newly established CDNTs to prioritise intervention for children with complex needs as well as those in special schools.