More than 7,000 children on waiting lists for mental health support in Ireland

Thousands of kids are on waiting lists for mental health support services in Ireland.

Over 7,000 children and young people with mental health issues are waiting to engage in community and psychological supports, according to the Children's Rights Alliance (CRA). The group has awarded the government a 'D-' grade in the area of mental health in its annual report card. It cited long waiting lists for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) among the reasons for the score. The report card is the body's annual assessment of the state's progress on commitments it has made to improve the welfare of children in this country. Overall, the CRA awarded the government a C grade for its efforts this year. ‘LGBTI+ Children and Young People' was the highest scoring area in the report, earning an A-. Child homelessness earned the government its lowest score; an F. It's the first time in the 11 years of the report that the CRA has given an F in any category. "We know the negative impact that homelessness has on their education, their self-esteem, their peer relationships and their health," CRA chief executive Tanya Ward told the Irish Examiner. "A housing emergency must be declared and the building of public housing must become the government’s top priority. "Childhood does not stand still and radical action is urgently needed."