St John of God Community Services respond to parents’ concerns about cutbacks
SAINT John of God Community Services were asked to respond to a number of queries regarding current services in St Mary’s School for children with special needs, and gave this response:
“Saint John of God North East Services is working in collaboration with the HSE to develop clinical services for children in accordance with the National Progressing Disability Services programme.
“The Progressing Disability Programme aims to provide all children with equality of access to the required clinical services and supports through Primary Care or through the Network Disability Team. In support of the development of this service, three members of the clinical team who have worked with St John of God North East Services will transfer to work as members of the Network Disability Team with the HSE.
“It was planned that these Network Disability Teams were to have become operable in late 2017 or early 2018. The HSE continue to plan for the formation of the Network Disability Teams.
“One of the posts identified for transfer to the Network Disability Team became vacant in the latter part of 2017. This post transferred to the HSE. Two staff who are scheduled to transfer to the Network Team continue to work with children at Saint Mary’s Special School.
“When the Network Team becomes operational, all children with a disability will receive their clinical services and supports from the Network Disability Team.
Pending the development of these teams in Louth a small number of clinicians and therapists continue to provide services and supports to children and adults at Saint John of God North East Services.”