Laois parents at ‘wits’ end’ resort to moneylenders

A Laois TD has confronted the Minister for Finance with huge staffing gaps in a specialist Laois HSE team that is supposed to provide vital care to children and help for their parents.

Laois independent TD Brian Stanley raised what he said was the chronic situation in Laois due to the lack of staffing in the county’s Child Disability Network Team (CDNT) which is based in Portlaoise.

The TD also spotlighted financial burdens on parents in his community, which has forced some to borrow money from moneylenders to get their children assessed.

Dep Stanley laid bare the problems with the Laois team in Leinster House with one of the Government’s most powerful ministers, Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Finance.

Dep Stanley said the HSE has told him that 22% and 29% of posts are vacant on CDNT teams around Ireland but Laois has some of the worst problems.

“In Laois I can tell the Minister that there are posts where there are 100% vacancy and 67% vacancy. There is a chronic situation regarding staffing in Laois. The figures for network 12 which covers most of the county, are absolutely shocking,” he said.

He gave figures for what he said were three critical disciplines for children who are on the autism spectrum. He said just a third of occupational therapy posts are are filled in Laois. Just 46% of speech and language are filled while only half of the physiotherapy positions are occupied.

He said it gets worse.

“If you go down to therapy assistants, there are zero levels of staffing. Dietetics, zero, behaviour therapists, incredibly are zero,” he told Minister Donohue.

He outlined the impact on families of these shortcomings.

“I raise this with the Minister on behalf of parents who are at their wits’ end on this issue. For children who badly need services and who have autism, ADHD, dyspraxia or a range of other disabilities, the services are not there.

“These children are missing out on assessments, therapies and crucially on care at a crucial stage in their development. We all know children with special needs require the early interventions. Early interventions equal better outcomes but late or no interventions leads to huge problems later in life. This can cause huge problems for families and children who do not go on to live the full lives they should.

Dep Stanley said some parents are hitting financial problems.

“It is putting enormous pressure on families, so parents, including those who cannot afford it, are going for private assessment and in some cases are borrowing thousands of euro. Sometimes that is from the credit union or from family and friend’s but sometimes it is from moneylenders,” he said.

The TD said voluntary organisations try to “plug the gap” but they can only do a small percentage of what is needed.

Dep Stanley told the Minister that the problem is not new and he has been looking for help for families since the 1990s but he insisted that Laois has a particular problem.

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“I know it cannot be fixed overnight, and it means increasing the pipeline. What is been done by Government to increase the workforce supply pipeline? We cannot flick a switch, I understand that.”

In response, Minister Donohoe acknowledged what he said was “huge anxiety and distress” that families can face when children with additional needs, need additional support and have various conditions. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

The Laois team is based at the St Fintan’s Campus in Portlaoise.

He said voluntary organisations and service providers outside of the State play a very valuable role and appreciated the Dep Stanley ‘honesty’ in acknowledging that it is going to take time when time.

He said the Government is doing three particular things but made no specific comment in relation to the acute shortages in Laois. Firstly, a Cabinet subcommittee on the issue of Disability has been set up which is being chaired by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Secondly, he said there are students in universities and places of higher learning who can become the vert therapists and the Government is also looking at this.

Finally, on recruitment, the Fine Gael Minister, accepted that more therapists and healthcare professionals are needed, but added that more therapists are being recruited for schools.

The HSE says a CDNT provides specialised support and services for children have complex health needs associated with their disability.