2,314 Kildare/West Wicklow children still waiting for vital assessments

Concern has been expressed over the latest figures revealing the number of children still waiting for their assessments of need across the country.

The data, obtained through a parliamentary question submitted by Holly Cairns TD, highlights a particularly dire situation in Wicklow and Kildare.

“It is shocking to see that East Wicklow has 785 children who are overdue their assessments of need. This means that they have been waiting for longer than the statutory period of 6 months for their needs assessment. This is the highest number of any county outside of Dublin. When combined with Kildare/West Wicklow, the total number of children waiting reaches a staggering 2,314. This is a clear indication of systemic neglect,” said Wicklow TD, Jennifer Whitmore.

When dealing with figures from the Department of Health on specialist services, Kildare and West Wicklow are grouped as they sit in the same 'community health organisation' area and the data is dealt with together.

“Counties of a similar size to Wicklow, such as Donegal and Tipperary, have significantly fewer children waiting for their assessments—293 and 159, respectively – and in fact do not even come close to the Wicklow number when combined. This stark contrast underscores the urgent need for equitable distribution of resources and immediate intervention from the Department,” Ms Whitmore added.

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“Delays in assessments of need have huge knock-on effects on children, both educationally and socially. Without assessments, they have no additional resources or supports, which has real consequences for their development and well-being. We must ensure that every child receives the support they need to succeed in school and in life, and this starts with completing assessments of need in a timely manner."