Ministers propose legislative overhaul for child disability assessment process

Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality, Norma Foley, and Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins, have formally presented the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2026 to the Government. This legislative proposal seeks to modernise the Assessment of Need process, which has faced significant pressure due to rising demand for early intervention and support services for children. The Ministers emphasised that these reforms are essential to ensure the system becomes more efficient, transparent, and fair for families navigating the disability sector.

A central component of the new strategy involves the deployment of eleven In-Reach teams, which will provide clinical guidance and support for professionals conducting assessments under the recently launched autism assessment protocol. Each team will comprise a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and an administrator. The Government anticipates that all eleven teams will be fully operational by the end of the year. Furthermore, the legislation introduces greater flexibility regarding the management of applications, allowing for the withdrawal and reinstatement of requests under specific regulatory conditions.

It is important to note that the Bill does not alter the existing six-month statutory timeline for assessments, nor does it change the legal definition of disability established in 2005. The Government clarified that an Assessment of Need is not a mandatory gateway for accessing services, and families may continue to engage with HSE supports independently. Further details regarding these legislative changes and updated guidance for families are available on the official Department of Children, Disability, and Equality website.