Huge variations between hospitals in treatment of mental health emergencies
Children with psychosis and suicidality may be left for up to a week in emergency departments, unable to access appropriate care
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs)
Surge in child ADHD diagnoses sees two HSE areas contain half of spiralling waiting lists
Mary Butler said two HSE areas were now bearing 50 per cent of the national waiting list
Children experiencing mental illness can’t afford to wait for reform to happen by magic
One in five people aged 10-19 meet the criterion for a mental health disorder. It is critical we make sure we have systems in place to provide them with the care they need
‘We can’t recruit’: Psychiatrists propose Camhs reforms to improve patient care
College of Psychiatrists of Ireland launches model of governance and management structures for Camhs
Hundreds of children waiting more than a year to access mental health services
Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly describes latest update from HSE as ‘infuriating’
Mother whose son attended school nine times this year says expecting him in bed before midnight is ridiculous, court hears
Tusla official says he received text from boy’s mother saying view child should go to bed before midnight ‘ridiculous’
Four children settle cases over claims they were over-medicated by South Kerry Camhs
HSE pays out €196,000 in cases taken over Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs)
Camhs child psychiatrist jailed for sexually abusing teenage girl left with ‘painful and grave trauma’
Amirul Arif Bin Mohd Yunos treated victim on ad-hoc basis at the request of her parents, who were known to him
Shane O’Connor inquest jury calls for improved HSE mental health protocols
Teenage son of musicians Sinéad O’Connor and Dónal Lunny died by suicide in January 2022
Shane O’Connor (17) was not receiving 24-hour one-to-one supervision in hospital before suicide, inquest hears
Son of musicians Sinéad O’Connor and Dónal Lunny absconded from Tallaght University Hospital less than 24 hours before his death on January 7th, 2022
Harris accused of displaying ‘height of arrogance’ by centre left parties
Labour and Social Democrats target Fine Gael leader for ruling out multi-party left wing alliance
Government shouldn’t be so quick to yell Gotcha! at Sinn Féin. Its record on children is shameful
When election candidates coming knocking at your door, will you speak for the children so badly let down by the State?
Children in poorer areas far more likely to develop severe mental health difficulties, says professor
Prof Susan Smith says evidence shows need for a national health inequity strategy
‘Our daughter blames us for not realising years ago that she was autistic’
Ask the Expert: She was diagnosed recently, aged 23. We did our best as struggling parents, but sometimes we did mess up and shout at her
‘They are being robbed of their potential’: Thousands of children with special needs waiting years for vital therapy
Parents worry that their children are slipping through the cracks of service beset by staff shortages, deficient assessments and a morale crisis
Deaths of children in care: Girl (14) who died by suicide ‘gained very little’ from Camhs referrals
Child faced ‘unacceptable’ delays, review has found
Deterioration in mental health of children waiting for Camhs referral, survey finds
Report by advocacy group details experiences of families seeking access to supports
Settlements approved for boys allegedly inappropriately prescribed antipsychotic medication by Kerry CAMHS
High Court told 10-year-old diagnosed as having ADHD on foot of a brief observation in a waiting room
Youth mental health services hit by lack of modern technology, HSE hears
Health services cannot ‘speak to each other efficiently’ without an IT upgrade, officials say
The Irish Times view on child poverty in 2024: so much still to be done
Compared to a year ago, some 30,000 more children are now living in households experiencing poverty
Unfilled psychiatric posts leaving young people on ‘unacceptably long waiting lists’
In child and adolescent psychiatry, more than one-third of approved permanent consultant posts either vacant or filled on a temporary basis at end of 2023
Psychological services for young people need urgent reform, says Cairns
Numbers waiting for primary care psychology services in Cork are ‘staggering’, says Social Democrats leader
What now for transgender healthcare in Ireland after publication of the Cass review?
The landmark report by UK paediatrician Hilary Cass into transgender treatment for young people is published as the HSE plans a new Irish clinical programme for gender healthcare
‘When a child dies by suicide, and you know they were struggling, people have to be held to account’
Milly Tuomey, aged 11, died by suicide in 2016. Her family reflect on how the system let her down, coping with grief and why it’s important to remove the stigma linked to suicide
HSE recruitment embargo ‘seriously impacting’ services, psychiatric nurses say
More than 700 vacancies leaves sector unable to fill gaps through overtime or agency staff, nurses’ body says
Two children settle High Court claims over south Kerry Camhs treatment
Mediator adds ‘uplift’ of thousands of euros over the way each boy and his family were treated by the service
Girl secures €200,000 settlement over ‘very significant’ harm caused by south Kerry CAMHS
Medication changes saw teenager become more anxious and stressed, gain 20kg and develop self-harm habit, High Court told
TD visibly upset over mental health service failures as she highlights teenager’s anorexia struggle
It’s hypocritical to talk of women’s achievements when State fails to provide most basic health facilities, says Independent Deputy Verona Murphy
Dáil hears of child struggling with ‘mental health crisis’ and receiving no services
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald raises case of distraught girl Maggie in chamber, describing her mother as ‘desperate’
‘Little or no progress’ made by Government on children’s mental health supports, report says
Coalition has done well in areas such as online safety, affordable access to childcare and school books scheme expansion, Children’s Rights Alliance says
Boy (14) ‘existing’ in windowless room off Kerry emergency department for 56 days, Dáil hears
Serious concerns among health staff and community about ‘disgraceful situation’, says Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly
When trying to navigate the Irish health system on behalf of a child leads to utter despair
Looking back, the Shafqat family feels let down by Camhs and community services
Eating disorders: Children face treatment barriers ‘every step of the way’
Parents’ group protests at Department of Health over lack of treatment for young people with eating disorders
Boy who didn’t ‘want to wake up any more’ among those helped by family resource centres urging funds
Continuing of funding next year a ‘no-brainer’ given the ‘transformative impact on communities around the country’, says FRC National Forum chief executive
Decriminalise drugs? We haven’t even learned how to handle our drink
Heavy episodic drinking is better known in Ireland as a great night out
Woman (64) left waiting on a trolley in Tallaght Hospital for 76 hours for admission to the stroke ward, Dáil told
The woman, who has a history of aneurysms, also had to initially wait for an hour and a half on an ambulance while she had a suspected stroke
Boy with autism settles case for €110,000 over treatment at South Kerry Camhs
Settlement amount is second-highest award so far against HSE over care provided by South Kerry Camhs
Only 1% of mental health services regulated by law, TDs told
Child and adolescent mental health services ‘simply not working’, according to Mental Health Commission
Spinal surgeries review must be systemic if medics are not to be deterred from complex cases
Government needs to take firm control of this review and adjust its terms of reference so it does not fail before it has even begun. It cannot be allowed to report to itself
The Government is patently not committed to a high-quality child mental health service
Those responsible for transforming mental health services will need unflinching Government support
Suicidal young people must wait more than 200 days for assessment in some parts of country
‘Our mental health system is truly broken if we cannot give interventions for our young people contemplating suicide,’ says Sinn Féin’s Mark Ward in reference to the long waits for access to Camhs' services
Varadkar urged to publicly address inadequate child mental health service
Improving the child and mental health service should be a ‘huge priority’, say Mental Health Reform
Call for mobile phone ban in schools due to evidence of damage to young people
Stephen Donnelly says use of devices linked to increased anxity, self-harm and suicide ideation among children
Variation in child mental health services across HSE is ‘unacceptable’
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services have ‘systemic issues’ nationwide, Mental Health Commission chief says
Audit fails to find misplaced Cork/Kerry area Camhs file
Data protection breach in community healthcare organisation for Cork and Kerry reported to Data Protection Commissioner
‘When you are dealing with a mental health issue in the home, you drop out of society in some ways’
Families whose children are under the care of Camhs are seeking improvements to services
Doctors ‘firefighting without adequate training’ to deal with surge in children facing mental health problems
Call for improved funding to address ‘a mental health epidemic in our paediatric population’ which doctors say is partly driven by a rise in eating disorder cases
Children’s ombudsman accuses State of ‘profound violation of children’s rights’ on mental health and disability care
Letter obtained under Freedom of Information shows Niall Muldoon believes HSE has ‘seriously failed in its duty to uphold the rights of children to the best possible healthcare’
Chronically suicidal teenager must stay in inappropriate unit because no secure care place available, judge orders
Girl has been approved for secure care but staff recruitment problems means just 14 of 26 secure beds are available
Camhs reliance on paper records a ‘significant burden’ on overstretched staff, audit finds
‘Notable absence’ of pharmacists from teams in youth mental health services, says report
Family who sought help from youth mental health service had ‘devastating’ experience, says father
Hundreds of families suing youth mental health services due to alleged inadequate treatment
Children will be ‘lost’ as youth mental health services ‘creaking at the seams’
Services led with ‘poor governance’, characterised by ‘failure to manage risk, failure to fund and recruit key staff’, says Mental Health Commission chair
Report on Camhs failings ‘validates experiences’ of young people trying to access service, says advocate
Inspector says she cannot assure parents HSE’s child and adolescent mental health service is ‘safe and effective’
Camhs: At risk-children will remain vulnerable to being ‘disappeared’ in Ireland unless attitudes change
Dr John Hillery was speaking at the publication of the devastating report on how Camhs is failing children and their families
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