Seanad Public Consultation Committee to hold hearings on Children’s Mental Health Services

The Committee has already sought and received submissions seeking views on children’s mental health services and has decided to invite a number of contributors to public hearings which will take place in the Seanad Chamber tomorrow.

The agenda for the meeting is:

Public Consultation on Children's Mental Health Services in Ireland.

Session A: 10 am: User Experiences
Session B: 2 pm: Advocacy / Service Providers

Senator Joan Freeman, who has been appointed Rapporteur to lead in the compilation of the Report on the issue, said: “The primary focus of this Public Consultation process is to provide a forum where Child and Adolescent Mental Health service users (including children and their parents), key civil society activists, and service providers who have engaged, or are presently engaging, with mental health services in Ireland can bring their views to the Oireachtas.

“The best way to assess and consider what services are like is to invite submissions and testimonies from people availing of those services. At our first session tomorrow, parents and guardians will provide an oversight and paint a picture of what mental health services are like for children and adolescents in Ireland today. In the second session we will hear from people who provide the services and experts in the area.

“Our public consultation takes place as the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016 moves through the legislative process, a piece of legislation designed to end the practice of admitting children to adult psychiatric units. In informing this debate, and in carrying out the functions of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, we will robustly examine the reality of current practice, the effect that it is having on primary and secondary care providers, the extent of waiting lists for Child and Adolescent Mental Health services and benchmark ourselves against best practice.”

“Evidence, including that of the Mental Health Commission, indicates that there is room for improvement in how we look after those that need it the most, and we will be hearing from service users and those working at providing the services to assist us in putting forward recommendations for change.”

Seanad Leas-Chathaoirleach and Committee Chairman Senator Paul Coghlan said: “The Seanad Public Consultation Committee issued a call for submissions on Children’s Mental Health Services in Ireland in April this year. I wish to sincerely thank all those who sent in submissions to the Committee, particularly from those using the service, as this can be an extremely sensitive and difficult time for families in need of these services.

“The Committee received an extraordinary response to its invitation for submissions from a wide breath of stakeholders, including from families directly using the services, from advocacy and service providers and from clinicians and key official organisations. In total, 66 submissions were received.

“Through these public hearings spread over two days we will hear from all sides of the debate in the delivery of child and adolescent mental health services. Through sharing their experiences, the witnesses will set out the reality of those in need of mental health services and those providing these services.

“The Committee will be briefed on issues relating to access to services out of hours and in emergencies and the admission of children to adult psychiatric units. The Committee will get an overall understanding of the services provided throughout the country, in both urban and rural areas. I wish to thank Senator Joan Freeman for proposing this very important topic for consideration.”

The first meeting will start in the Seanad Chamber at 10am on Thursday, 29 June 2017.

A second day of hearings will be held in the Seanad Chamber at 10 am on Thursday, 6th July, when the Committee will hear from the following:

Session A: 10 am: Professional bodies / Clinicians
Session B: 2 pm: State / Official bodies

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices