Over 65 kids in the Longford-Westmeath (LHO) area are overdue an Assessment of Need
There are 66 children in the Longford-Westmeath area overdue an assessment of need (AON), which is carried out to identify if a child, children or young person has a disability.
A total of 66 children in the Longford-Westmeath (LHO) area are overdue an Assessment of Need, it has emerged.
An assessment of need (AON) is carried out to identify if a child, children or young person has a disability, and is designed to identify their health needs as well as service requirements.
A total of 43 children were waiting past their statutory timelines in August 2024 according to data tracking from the latter half of 2024.
By the end of the year in 2024 the final overdue application count for the LHO stood at 54 children.
In August last year approximately 15 to 25 children were overdue.
While precise month-specific tallies for August 2025 fluctuate slightly between quarterly releases, a massive 67% increase in completed reports in 2025 successfully reduced the area's waiting list down to a low of 15 children overdue by December 2025.
A delayed assessment of need in turn delays vital early interventions.
This lag causes cumulative learning gaps, heightened emotional and mental distress according to multiple studies.
In terms of the wider HSE Region Longford is structurally part of the larger HSE Dublin and Midlands region.
In August 2025, that macro-region held the worst backlog in Ireland with 6,143 children overdue their legal assessment timeframes