Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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176. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will meet with a group (details supplied) to discuss the National Report of Children’s Disability Networks Team Staff Census and Workforce Review for 2022 and to ensure that progress is made. [11754/23]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is enhancing children’s disability services to better support children with special needs and their families across the country. Children with complex special needs access therapy services through the Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). The Government and the HSE both acknowledge the challenges in meeting the demand for these disability services and are acutely aware of how these challenges impact on children and their families.

Though the 2022 CDNT Staff Census notes an average vacancy rate of 34% across CHOs, this is to be understood in the context of an increase in approved posts. An overall analysis of the data from 2021 and 2022 demonstrates an increase of 11% in the number of approved posts and a 2% increase in the CDNT workforce. This increase has been achieved in a context where there is an average turnover rate 9.6% in health and social care professionals each year. The report of the 2022 CDNT Staff Census and Workforce Review is currently with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for consideration.

There is an acknowledgment that supply challenges exist in the context of recruitment and this lack of qualified staff to work in the service is impacting the capacity to deliver services to families and children with complex needs in a timely manner.

However, the HSE and the various Lead Agencies are experiencing ongoing challenges recruiting staff across a range of disciplines and grades to fully staff each team to maximum capacity. This is reflective of current recruitment issues being faced by the wider health service.

The HSE has an extensive Recruitment and Retention campaign underway, specifically to support the development and enhancement of CDNTs, with particular efforts including:

- Targeted National Recruitment for CDNTs

- Targeted International Recruitment for CDNTs with an agreed relocation allowance

- Sponsorship Programme for therapy grades

In addition, the following options are being explored:

- Apprentice Programme for therapy grades

- Employment of graduates as therapy assistants as they await CORU registration

- Expansion of therapy assistants in the system with HSE supporting individuals to return to education to quality as therapists.

In the interim, the HSE continues to drive a number of initiatives to reduce waiting times for children and families. These include sourcing therapy assessments and interventions externally via private service providers, the use of private providers enhancing CDNT capacity to support increased therapy interventions.

Conscious that recruitment will only be beneficial if current staff are retained, the HSE and partner Lead Agencies are committed to providing ongoing training and development for CDNT staff supporting their professional development and retention, and promoting CDNTs as an attractive place to work.

Any requests for meetings should be referred to my office in Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for consideration. I try to meet as many stakeholders as possible but each request must be considered in the context of availability and existing diary commitments.