Figures from the HSE show 8,200 children were waiting for their first contact from a Child Disability Network Team (CDNT) at the end of March.
Of those children, 5,261 have been waiting over 12 months. This is a reduction from the 8,648 children waiting at the end of 2025.
The Regional Healthcare Area (RHA) with the highest number of children waiting for first contact is HSE Dublin Midlands, with 2,252 children on waiting lists.
1,669 children are waiting over a year. This RHA covers Dublin South City and West and Dublin South West, Kildare, West Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford, and Westmeath.
At HSE Dublin and South East, 2,078 children are waiting for first contact, with 1,432 waiting for over a year.
This covers Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, and most of Wicklow.
HSE Dublin and North East, which covers North Dublin, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, and most of Cavan, has 1,908 children waiting for first contact from a CDNT.
1,269 children in this RHA are waiting over a year.
At HSE Midwest, covering Clare, Limerick, and North Tipperary, 1,109 children are waiting for first contact from a CDNT, with 599 waiting over a year on waiting lists.
HSE West and North West, which provides care for Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, West Cavan, Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, had 452 children waiting to hear from CDNT's.
At HSE South West, providing care for Cork and Kerry, 401 children are on waiting lists.
The figures come as a report shows that as of October 2025, there was an 18 per cent vacancy rate for positions within CDNT's, with 457 posts unfilled.
The HSE are the biggest lead agency over the 93 CDNTs, providing 43 of them.
Enable Ireland provides 20, while Brothers of Charity provide six.
Enable Ireland is the largest of the Section 39 providers with a funding allocation for 502.3 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE), with 85 per cent of positions reported as filled.
Brothers of Charity is the largest Section 38 provider with a 208.9 funded WTE, with 89 per cent of positions filled.
The CDNT with the highest vacancy rate is in Clonmel, with 54 per cent of posts vacant.
In Gorey, Co Wexford, and Waterford North City, 52 per cent of roles are not filled.
The RHA with the highest vacancy rate is Dublin and South East, with 25 per cent of posts remaining unfilled.
27 per cent of Occupational Therapists posts remain vacant, with 40.9 unfilled.
There is also 44 per cent of Clinical Psychologist positions unfilled, with 41.6 posts vacant.
There are 93 CDNTs aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks (CHNs) across the country, providing services and supports for children aged from birth to 18 years of age.
