There were 9,363 children awaiting initial contact from a Child Disability Network Team (CDNT) at the end of 2025.
HSE figures show that 6,035 children have been waiting more than a year for their first contact with a CDNT, reports Breaking News.
However, just 799 children on the CDNT waiting list attended appointments during November 2025.
There are indications of improvement, as in July 2023 the national CDNT waiting list stood at 16,522, representing a 43 per cent reduction by the end of last year, reports Breaking News.
In 2025, the waiting list fell by 27 per cent from a total of 12,920.
Within HSE Dublin Midlands, which includes Dublin South City and West, Dublin South West, Kildare, West Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath, 2,556 children are awaiting first contact, reports Breaking News.
Of these children, 1,890 are waiting for initial contact.
HSE Dublin and North East, covering North Dublin, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and most of Cavan, has 2,355 children waiting to hear from a CDNT, with 1,555 waiting more than a year, reports Breaking News.
In HSE Dublin and South East, which includes Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and most of Wicklow, 2,234 children have yet to receive first contact from a CDNT.
The data shows that 1,657 children in this Regional Health Area have been waiting over a year, reports Breaking News.
In the HSE Midwest region, covering Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary, 1,211 children are waiting for first contact, including 622 who have been waiting more than a year.
HSE West and North West, which serves Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, West Cavan, Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, has 504 children awaiting first contact, reports Breaking News.
HSE South West, which provides services across Cork and Kerry, also has just over 500 children waiting for first contact, with figures showing that 152 of these children have been waiting more than a year.
CDNTs are currently delivering services and supports to 44,739 children, as well as providing strategies and supports for waitlisted children with urgent needs where staffing levels permit, reports Breaking News.
There are 93 CDNTs aligned with 96 Community Healthcare Networks across the country, delivering services and supports for children from birth up to 18 years of age.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
