Follow-up advice should be provided to parents of children that have been refused access to CAMHS services.
That’s according to Local TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Disability, Equality, and Integration Kathleen Funchion.
Its following recent analysis by the Irish Independent that found the HSE area covering Carlow Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford had the highest refusal rate last year.
51% of CAMHS referrals in this area were turned down last year, with the figure rising to 54% this year.
Deputy Funchion says parents need advice on what to do next; ”If CAMHS are genuinely saying that 51 per cent of children don’t need their level of intervention, then get in touch with those parents. Why not give them advice on where they can go for help, give them details of who they can contact or get in touch with the right people for them and suggest who is more appropriate for their needs. As I can tell you parent’s are already pulling their hair out as to where to go for help.”
