The Minister of State for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth says she is aware that there are significant staffing gaps across three Children’s Development Network Teams in Donegal.
Minister Anne Rabbitte recently visited the county to discuss various challenges in the area.
Minister Anne Rabbitte has fully acknowledged the impact staffing shortages in Donegal North CDNT, Donegal East & Inishowen CDNT and Donegal South West CDNT are having on children and families.
During a recent visit to the county, Minister Rabbitte met with members of Donegal North CDNT and HSE management to discuss the various challenges they face, including recruitment initiatives, vacancies, and waiting lists, as well as how to tackle them.
The Minister has engaged with local HSE management in Donegal, and CHO1 generally, and is fully supportive of the range of measures being initiated to enhance capacity including; trying to attract new graduates, establishing a bursary scheme, attending jobs fairs and outsourcing assessments to private providers.
Minister Rabbitte is optimistic that success in these endeavours will see teams enhanced, capacity across the Network Teams increased and access to services developed.
Full Statement:
Children’s Disability services in Donegal are managed by three HSE-lead CDNTs (Children’s Development Network Teams) as follows:
Donegal North CDNT
Donegal East & Inishowen CDNT
Donegal South West CDNT
Minister Rabbitte is aware that there are significant staffing gaps across the 3 teams above and fully acknowledges the impact that these staffing shortages are having on children and families. In an effort to fill the over 600 funded posts provided to the HSE nationally in recent years, the HSE’s National Recruitment Services are running a range of initiatives in conjunction with local HR departments.
During a recent visit to Donegal, Minister Rabbitte met with members of the Donegal North CDNT, alongside HSE management, and discussed the various challenges they face, including recruitment initiatives, vacancies, and waiting lists, as well as how to tackle them. The meeting was a very informative one for the Minister and has helped shape her thinking on the development of initiatives to bolster children’s disability services around the country.
The Minister is aware of the challenges in recruiting for the disability sector. However, she is encouraged by the efforts currently in Community Healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo (CH CDLMS) to bolster the teams.
As part of continuous communication with HSE personnel across the country, the Minister has engaged with local HSE management in Donegal, and CHO1 generally, and is fully supportive of the range of measures being initiated to enhance capacity across teams. These include:
– CDNTs are trying to attract new graduates into CDNT posts by developing contacts and links with training colleges and supporting clinical education placements.
– Community Healthcare CDLMS established a bursary scheme in 2023 which will see 25 students in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Dietetics supported to complete their professional degree programme in a UK based college. Of the 25 bursaries awarded, 12 of these will be assigned to posts in Disability Services. The first of the students to whom bursaries have been awarded will graduate in June 2024. Community Healthcare CDLMS has committed to funding this bursary scheme for three years.
– HSE staff have recently attended jobs fairs in Derry and intend to engage with further job fairs taking place in Cavan, Leitrim, Inishowen and Sligo in Quarter 4 2023
– CDNTs continue to explore all options to recruit to vacant posts and in the interim have outsourced assessments to private providers to take children off the waiting list based on priority. Capacity within the private sector is also an issue due to staffing shortages. Overtime to try to increase CDNT service capacity is also on offer.
Minister Rabbitte is optimistic that success in these endeavours will see teams enhanced, capacity across the Network Teams increased and access to services developed for the benefit of children, young people and families.
