Experts Warn Pediatric Admissions for Mental Health Crises in Ireland Are Under-Reported and Under-Resourced

A recent paper published in the Irish Medical Journal highlights serious concerns regarding the treatment and documentation of children and adolescents admitted to paediatric wards for acute mental health crises across Ireland.

According to the authors—comprising consultant and senior registrar child psychiatrists from Children’s Health Ireland, CAMHS, and senior paediatricians across 11 counties, alongside university medical academics in Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Limerick—these admissions are not regulated by the Mental Health Commission.

“Ultimately, this lack of documentation and regulation contributes to the systematic overlooking and undercounting of what is arguably the most unwell children and young people with acute mental illness within Ireland’s mental health framework,” the paper states.