Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are to provide a high-quality assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties in children and adolescents.   

Unfortunately, following from a recent report that was commissioned by the HSE, it transpires that the service provided to over 1,500 children and adolescents over a period from 2016 to 2020 fell below the required standard of care.  

The report highlighted some real issues within the service such as incorrect diagnoses being made, overprescribing of inappropriate medication over a long period of time, lack of supervision and unsafe practices. These events exposed many children that were under the care of the service to unnecessary harm.  The misdiagnosis and treatment of these children exposed them to significant harm of sedation, emotional and cognitive blunting, growth disturbance and serious weight changes, psychological stress and so on. The findings in this report are both shocking and disturbing.    The Taoiseach has advised that a full audit will be conducted in all 72 CAHMS teams nationally, which might result in more distressing findings.

Houlihan Solicitors are committed to helping the victims of this medical malpractice and will provide the best legal advice as to how to deal with this situation.  We will ensure that any legal action brought by us against  CAMHS is dealt with efficiently and quickly to allow the children and teenagers affected to get over the trauma they suffered as soon as possible.

Should you wish to discuss the details of your experience with CAMHS please do not hesitate to contact us.   We will arrange a face to face meeting or conduct the meeting via phone or video.

Contact our Limerick office on 061599661.