Sir, – I was saddened but not at all surprised to read your article “Thousands of children with mental health concerns on waiting lists for assessments” (News, February 26th).
For my own child, I was advised there is a 36-month waiting list for psychology assessments for the Early Intervention and School Age Team in Wicklow and the list for psychological intervention is “on hold”.
I have many years of experience working with children and families. I know how effective early intervention can be. I also know the terrible price that families pay if things escalate due to inaction. Furthermore, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which is expected to intervene when crisis hits, is completely overstretched.
The fire-fighting approach has massive ramifications for the child and their family. It is costly – both emotionally and economically – and is largely ineffective. We will be making significant cuts in our family budget to cobble together the price of a private assessment (which costs approximately €1,000). We are lucky we will be able to do this. Many families are already so stretched, with the cost of rent and childcare, they have no choice but to wait more than three years, knowing the damage each passing year is having for their child.
I despair at the Government’s shortsightedness. It ignores the well-documented social and economic benefits of early intervention and the dreadful cost for those vulnerable children and their families if it doesn’t happen. – Yours, etc,
BREFFNÍ MAHER,
Wicklow.