There's been a 30 per cent increase this year in the number of children who have special needs assessments overdue.
Children are legally entitled to have 'assessments of need' completed within six months.
They allow them to get diagnosed with a disability, such as autism, and get the care they need.
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But over 6,000 assessments are overdue, compared to 4,600 last December.
Outside of Dublin, the Cork and Kerry region is the worst, with over 1,000 assessments overdue.
Suzanne Connolly, the chief executive of Barnardos, says it's a major concern:
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