Special needs reforms to make ‘real difference’ for Kerry families

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

The process for assessment of children with special needs is set to be overhauled in a bid to reduce “unacceptable” waiting times for concerned families.

Kerry TD Norma Foley said families had been enduring “incredible stress”, with reports taking “far too long”.

The Assessment of Need (AON) process is carried out by the HSE for people with disabilities and identifies their health and education needs.

New measures include 11 new support teams, clearer guidelines for assessment officers and a single point of access system which will launch next year, making it easier for families to be referred to the right service.

“I know that families have been enduring incredible stress and unacceptable delays in receiving AON reports and some existing AONs are taking up to 30 hours to complete, which is far too long,” said Deputy Foley.

“This will help to speed up the process because assessment officers will have the expert help that they need at an earlier stage. We want the AON process to be faster, so that therapists are freed up to provide therapy rather than writing endless reports.

“I am conscious that more than legislation is required and so the HSE’s new single point of access system, the new autism assessment process and the new process in education for admission to special classes and special schools will give families a faster way of getting the services they need for their children, rather than relying on the AON process.”

The 11 new teams will be supported by 44 expert staff, including a psychologist, a speech and language therapist and an occupational therapist, who will provide clinical guidance and support during the AON process.

6,000 assessments are expected to be completed by the end of 2025, marking a 44 per cent increase on 2024, and an 87 per cent improvement on 2023.

Kerry Senator Mike Kennelly also welcomed the reforms, emphasising their importance in reducing wait times.

“Too many families have been waiting far too long for assessments, and these reforms will help tackle the backlog,” he said.

“These reforms will make a real difference for families in Kerry. By reducing waiting times and streamlining the process, we can ensure that children get the supports they need sooner.

“This is about putting children and families first and building a system that works better for everyone.”