A Carrick-on-Shannon mother says her child still hasn't got proper medical help six months after being diagnosed with autism.
She's calling for action to be taken to address these delays.
An assessment of need allows a child to be diagnosed with a disability, such as autism, and then get the care they need.
This Carrick mother says her child was diagnosed with autism in May, after applying for an assessment earlier in the year.
She says the report recommended intervention from psychology, dietetics, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy.
She says her GP referred the child to each service in primary care.
But she says the child was declined these supports because a 'workshop' - a five-week autism parent programme - would begin in the autumn.
The mother says her learned this workshop, which ran in September and October, was the intervention itself.
She says many parents, including her, had understood it would lead to appointments and actual therapy, not replace them.
She says this misunderstanding caused confusion and frustration for everyone attending.
She says the workshops were held in Sligo town from 10am to 1pm, with parents attending from Leitrim, Cavan, Donegal, and other areas.
She says this made it extremely difficult for parents who had to travel long distances while also being responsible for school collections and emergencies.
She says when midterm break arrived - a time that is often most challenging for autistic children who struggle with routine changes - every key contact person was on annual leave.
The mother says the workshops would have been invaluable in the first few weeks after diagnosis, when families are overwhelmed and desperate for information - not six months later, after being declined essential therapies.
She says this experience has left parents across the region feeling abandoned.
She says they are trying to support their autistic children as best they can, but the system is making it almost impossible.
She says what families need are real, consistent services - not just workshops and waiting lists.
