Child mental health staff levels at 9%

Fianna Fail slams Hse and Fine gael over crisis in system

LESS than a tenth of the staff needed to run children’s mental health services are currently employed, it has emerged.

Figures revealed in response to a parliamentary question show intellectual disability teams have just 9% of the workers necessary.

Fianna Fail spokesman James Browne, who obtained the information, said it will take “another 100 years” for the teams to be fully staffed.

He added: “The 2006 Vision for Change strategy recommended the establishment of children and adolescent mental health intellectual disability teams to deliver the appropriate level of service.

However, the fact more than 12 years after its publication only 9% of the staff required are in place is shocking. “This is an abject failure of successive Fine Gael governments. At this rate of progress we’ll have to wait another 100 years for a full complement.” Mr Browne added little has been done since the strategy was published. He said: “A Vision for Change – our national mental health strategy document – pointed out that the widespread acceptance people with intellectual disability can also have a mental health problem had been a recent development and went on to state that ‘services have been slow to respond to this need’. Sadly, 12 years later, this remains true. “Early intervention for children with mental health issues is critical.

“But for children with an intellectual disability such as autism or Down Syndrome who also have mental health issues, a lack of early intervention is nothing short of cruel.” Mr Browne slammed the HSE for ranking “the most vulnerable and least able to speak up for themselves” as their “lowest priority”.

He said: “Children’s mental health services are in a state of crisis but the gaps in provision for these vulnerable children is even more shocking.

“It’s yet another example of Fine Gael failing to deliver.”