Alarming Report Exposes Potential Harm in North Kerry’s Child Mental Health Services—But Here’s Where It Gets Even More Troubling...
A shocking independent investigation into North Kerry’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has uncovered potential risks of harm in 209 cases, leaving parents, caregivers, and advocates deeply concerned. But here’s where it gets controversial: the report reveals a troubling pattern of over-prescription of powerful medications, inadequate monitoring, and a glaring lack of non-medical interventions—raising serious questions about the system’s ability to protect vulnerable children.
Commissioned by the Health Service Executive (HSE), the review analyzed 374 active cases on the CAMHS database as of November 2022. Of these, 195 were deemed moderate risk, two were classified as major risk, and 12 as minor risk. While no cases were categorized as extreme harm, the findings paint a disturbing picture of systemic failures that could have long-term consequences for young patients.
And this is the part most people miss: the report highlights a staggering 79% of patients attending the generic service were prescribed psychotropic medications—a rate that dwarfs the 39% national average from the HSE’s 2023 prescribing audit. Even more alarming is the prevalence of polypharmacy, where two or more psychotropic drugs are prescribed simultaneously. For instance, Risperidone (a neuroleptic) and Guanfacine (an ADHD medication) were prescribed in North Kerry’s CAMHS Area B at rates higher than the national average, despite known side effects like weight gain and sedation.
Perhaps most controversially, Sodium Valproate—an anti-epileptic drug not licensed for treating behavioral dysregulation or sleep difficulties in children with intellectual disabilities—was prescribed in 42% of cases. This practice is not only unregulated but also absent in CAMHS services nationally, sparking outrage among experts and families alike.
The review also exposes a critical shortage of individual psychotherapy or “talking therapies,” with patients facing lengthy wait times when such services were available. Shockingly, 46% of children attending the services had confirmed or suspected autism, and nearly all were prescribed psychotropic medications, despite limited evidence of non-medical interventions being offered.
Here’s the kicker: the report found that CAMHS Area B Team’s resources were significantly below national mental health policy recommendations, as outlined in A Vision for Change 2006 and Sharing the Vision 2020. Families were often advised to self-refer to external services like Pieta House or Jigsaw for support, even though no formal agreements existed between CAMHS and these agencies at the time.
This isn’t the first time North Kerry’s CAMHS has come under scrutiny. An earlier review in South Kerry, published in January 2022, found that 227 children were exposed to serious harm, with 46 suffering significant harm. Early indications suggest the North Kerry findings may be even more damning, with the HSE already issuing apologies to over half of the families whose files were examined.
But here’s the question that lingers: How did such systemic failures go unnoticed for so long, and what will it take to ensure no child falls through the cracks again? The HSE has acknowledged the patience of families and the distress caused by these revelations, but will it be enough to restore trust? And what role should external oversight play in preventing future tragedies?
As the report is released to over 300 affected families and the public, one thing is clear: this is not just a local issue—it’s a wake-up call for mental health services nationwide. What do you think? Is this a case of isolated negligence, or a symptom of deeper systemic issues in child mental health care? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
