Waterford and Wexford are among the counties with the highest numbers of children waiting to be allocated a social worker.
Nearly 4,800 young people in Ireland are on the list, despite child protection and welfare concerns.
The figure has risen by 19 per cent in the space of a year, according to Tusla's latest information.
Tanya Ward, from the Children's Rights Alliance, says the pandemic has had an impact on the figures:
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"You might remember last year with the school closures, there was a significant drop in child protection referrals."
"That was because teachers, principals and school support staff just weren't there to help identify children who were at risk."
