Developmental checks for babies have been suspended in large parts of the country due to nursing shortages.

One area where parents are struggling to get appointments is North Dublin and Clontarf Social Democrats Councillor Catherine Stocker is someone who has personal experience of the problem. 

Her daughter, Kate, turned two this week but has not had a developmental check since she was three-months-old. 

“We got the kind of initial days check and then the three-month check,” she told The Hard Shoulder. 

“But typically, there would be a nine-months and then a 21 to 24-months check.” 

Cllr Stocker has called her local health centre several times to try and arrange an appointment; however, each time she has been told they are short staffed. 

“I do see in the coverage that other parents have received letters with barcodes telling them that they won’t be receiving those checks,” she said. 

“In our area, certainly my experience is there’s no communication unless you make contact with them.” 

A Dad and his baby son. Picture by: Alamy.com 

Cllr Stocker described developmental checks as a “fundamental part” of the health service’s obligation to parents. 

“They are designed to be preventative,” she said. 

“You can’t expect new parents particularly to know everything they’re looking out for - which is why we have these systems in place.”

She is particularly concerned about the impact the lack of checks might be having on “vulnerable families and communities”. 

“This is my third child,” she said. 

“I have some idea of what I’m doing - or at least I hope I do. 

“But when you’re talking about a first time parent or a parent who maybe has English as their second language and they’re not as familiar with our systems… when the system has cracks, it is typically the most vulnerable who fall through those cracks. 

“That’s what we’re going to see here.” 

Cllr Stocker said the problem could be fixed if the  State urgently “incentivises” more people to enter public health nursing.

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Main image: A nurse playing with a baby. Picture by: Alamy.com