FAMILIES WAITING LONGER AND WAITING YEARS FOR PAEDIATRIC CARE

Parents are now waiting almost two years for their child to see a paediatrician through the public Child Development Service (CDS), with new figures revealing wait times have blown out by more than five months since October last year.

During Parliamentary Estimates this week, the Health Minister confirmed the median wait time for a CDS paediatrician had reached 23.9 months as of March 2026, up from 18.7 months in October 2025.In 2022, the median wait time to see a paediatrician was 16.4 months.

Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the worsening delays were deeply distressing for families already desperate for support and answers.

“For parents worried about their child’s health or development, these delays mean more uncertainty, more stress and more children missing out on critical intervention,” Ms Mettam said.

“Two years is a significant part of a child’s early development and the fact wait times are getting worse, not better, is a damning reflection of the Cook Labor Government’s neglect of the health system over the past decade.

”Ms Mettam said the Health Minister also confirmed children were waiting more than 11 months to see a clinical psychologist through the CDS, more than eight months for an occupational therapist and more than five months for a speech pathologist.

For regional families accessing services through the WA Country Health Service, median wait times were 9.2 months for paediatricians, nearly three months for occupational therapists and more than six months for audiologists.

“In regional Western Australia, families already face significant barriers accessing healthcare, and these lengthy delays are placing enormous stress on parents simply trying to get help for their child,” Ms Mettam said.

“We know early intervention can make a life-changing difference to a child’s development and wellbeing, yet families are being forced to either wait an unacceptable length of time or travel long distances to access care.

“Parents are exhausted, frustrated, and increasingly losing confidence in a system that is failing to provide timely support for vulnerable children.”

Ms Mettam said the Government needed to provide greater transparency around paediatric waitlists and deliver a clear plan to improve access to paediatric services across Western Australia.

“All Western Australian families deserve confidence that when their child needs specialist care, they will receive it in time to make a difference now, not years later,” she said.