Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for Health if he has identified any particular or specific weaknesses in child psychological or support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33674/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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For Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) teams to work effectively, a range of disciplines, skills and perspectives are required so that children and adolescents are offered a care and treatment package appropriate to their individual needs. The Third Annual Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Report 2010-2011 has highlighted gaps in the completion of CAMHS teams. Therefore part of the special funding of €35m allocated to the HSE in 2012 will be used to complete the multidisciplinary profile of the existing CAMHS teams by ensuring, at a minimum, that at least one of each mental health profession (medical, nursing, clinical psychology, social work, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, child care worker) is represented on every team.

HSE approvals have already issued to the four Regional Directors of Operations to allow for the process of the filling of the posts in each region to commence.