There is a legal requirement on health authorities to assess the needs of children within six month of receiving an application. A total of 5,533 children are currently overdue an assessment, with some waiting years for a response. Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon said these “grossly unfair” delays were robbing children of their potential and may affect children for the rest of their lives. Still waitingClinical services recommended that she have a needs assessment when she was six years of age. In another case, four-year-old Sarah, who has sensory issues, was told she faced a 27-month wait for a needs assessment.

Source: The Irish Times October 15, 2020 00:00 UTC