Changes to Assessment of Need process for children and families in Cork to tackle wait times – O’Shea

New targeted reforms aimed at improving the Assessment of Need (AON) process for children and their families should reduce the waitlist, Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea has said.

Deputy O’Shea said: “Too many families have been waiting far too long for assessments, and these reforms will help tackle the backlog.”

Key measures announced include:

• New Support Teams: Assessment officers will be supported by 11 new teams, comprising 44 expert staff, including psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and administrators will provide clinical guidance and support during the AON process.

• There will be guidelines for assessment officers to make clear that the AON process should be focused on establishing the needs for a child, rather than lengthy and complex reports on a diagnosis of disability.

• Importantly, these changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child, nor will they alter the statutory six‑month timeline set out in the Disability Act. In the first 3 quarters of 2025, 4,534 AON assessments have been completed.

• A Single Point of Access system will launch next year, making it easier for families to be referred to the right service.

• The Autism Assessment and Intervention Protocol, launching in February 2026, will provide a faster route to autism diagnosis than the AON route.

The Department of Education and Youth is also working to agree a new process to remove the requirement for professional reports, such as AON reports, from entry requirements for special schools and classes. 

Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins said: “Since stepping into my new role as the Minister with responsibility for Disability, I have already had the opportunity to meet many families and stakeholders who have shared how challenging the Assessment of Need process can be.

“These reforms are designed with children and families at the heart of them. Our aim is to build a system that works better for everyone, especially children with disabilities, so they can access the support they need at the right time. While these changes will take time to take full effect, families will begin to see improvements in the system and faster delivery of AONs for those who need them.”

Deputy O’Shea added: “These reforms will make a real difference for families in Cork. By reducing waiting times and streamlining the process, we can ensure that children get the supports they need sooner. This is about putting children and families first and building a system that works better for everyone.”

 *Note to Editors:

• In the first three quarters of 2025, 4534 AON assessments have been completed.

• By the end of the year, 6,000 assessments are expected to be completed, which would be a 44% increase on 2024, and an 87% increase on 2023.