A Dublin mother who used the services of a psychologist who has been accused of using "fake" qualifications, has said that she "felt taken advantage".
35 year old Jane Allen, has urged parents to do their diligent research when it comes to choosing a practitioner.
This comes after Jane Allen had paid Caroline Goldsmith €800 to conduct an autism assessment of her son Jack back in 2021. Jack is now seven years old. Ms Goldsmith had been recommended to Jane by a friend, according to reports in the Irish Independent.
Ms Allen said: “My friend said: ‘We had our son assessed by her, she’s really good’. It was all through word of mouth".
Ms Goldsmith would subsequently apologise for using the title of doctor after featuring in an RTÉ Investigates documentary in 2023, highlighting the lack of regulation of psychologists in Ireland.
She had practised psychology publicly and privately, and carried out private assessments of children with additional needs, as well as HSE funded assessments and was also asked to give expert evidence as a psychologist at the High Court.
Ms Goldsmith continues to work with autistic children. She does not use a PHD title online, and still refers to herself as a "consulting clinical psychologist" on her website.
She said in a statement in 2023, that she had acknowledged that her credentials were "not actually accredited", adding that she had discovered this in 2014 and "voluntarily ceased" to use the PHD title.
She stated that she has since acquired qualifications which she has described as "valid" and "recognised".
The term psychologist is not controlled by CORU, the regulator for Ireland's healthcare workers and social care professionals and private psychologists, and are not required to meet such prescribed standards.
Ms Allen continued: “When my friend saw her on Prime Time two years later, she rang me crying, saying ‘I sent you to her’. But someone had sent my friend to Caroline also".
“I was in shock. You just feel so vulnerable starting this journey; you don’t know anything", she added. “I told my husband I just felt so vulnerable and taken advantage of".
Some parents were also advised that the HSE would not accept private assessments from Ms Goldsmith and that they should seek refunds.
“There’s no register for psychologists in Ireland. It’s very easy for anyone to do it. It’s important to raise the issue with a lot more parents having to go private", Ms Allen said. “You need to do your research. Don’t just take the person at face value".
It was revealed last year that lengthy waiting lists to access assessments of need (AONs) are leading to more parents having their children assessed privately. Nearly 22,000 children were overdue for an assessment of need in the first three months of this year.
The State is required to assess the need within six months of a child seeking one. It was found that almost 19,000 are overdue by at least 3 months.
A spokesperson for Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, said that waiting lists “are too long and increased demand for AONs requires a concerted effort across Government to meet this challenge”. (All quotes in this piece according to the Irish Independent).
Ms Goldsmith had decline to comment on the matter.
