Families of Children with Disabilities in counties Cavan and Monaghan face discrimination when they seek respite services. That's according to local Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, who told the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee that children living in other counties, in the exact same circumstances, receive respite services that are denied to those living in his constituency.
He says it's because of the different criteria applied in different counties by the Health Service Executive (HSE). Deputy Carthy highlighted how he has been in contact with a number of people in Cavan and Monaghan who are trying to secure respite care for their children.
He added that the criteria in the region means that a child must have a diagnosis of a moderate or severe intellectual disability to be even considered. "If this child lived in counties Louth, Meath, Sligo or Leitrim, they would have access to respite care, or at least an entitlement to it given there are issues with the provision of the services.
"For example, in Sligo and Leitrim - according to a HSE response to my parliamentary questions - the eligibility for a child to access respite care is that the child is known to the Children's Disability Network team (CDNT); that direct approval has been made by the children's referral committee; and that the HSE respite co-ordinator completes a determination of needs assessment.
"In Louth or Meath, a committee is in place that bases its decision on the following rationale: children who access services in their respective CDNT; children in care of the Child and Family Agency; children who live with families where there are multiple instances of disability; children who present with significant behavioural challenges, which is very important; or children who have a significant physical disability and require a high support level of needs.
"But, for Cavan and Monaghan, there is a strict definition of moderate to severe intellectual disability. A child could have multiple reasons for requiring respite that are taken into consideration in the criteria in the two other areas I mention, but in Cavan-Monaghan they are completely overlooked and ignored," Deputy Carthy said.
