Gardaí say they are assessing 17 complaints made to them arising from the report which revealed massive failings in the HSE-run Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South Kerry.
The report, published in January, found that 46 children had suffered significant harm and a total of 240 children suffered a risk of harm or significant harm while they were under the care of doctors in the service.
Within days of the report being published, gardaí said they were considering a criminal investigation into the failures in the service.
They invited families and guardians of children who may have suffered harm to contact them.
RTÉ News understands that gardaí from the Divisional Protective Services Unit in Kerry are engaging directly with families of children affected, after 17 complaints were made to them following publication of the report.
A formal decision of whether to initiate a criminal investigation has not yet been made.
Gardaí say they have also been engaging with both the HSE and the Health Information and Quality Authority as part of their continuing assessment of the report.
They have repeated their advice to parents to contact them if they believe their children suffered harm while in the care of South Kerry CAMHS.
They have established a dedicated email, KY.CAMHSKerry@garda.ie, or say contact can be made through any garda station.
Separately, Kerry CAMHS Family Support Group has said it does not accept that just 46 of the children identified in the review of the South Kerry CAMHS service suffered significant harm. The support group believes that figure is much higher.
In a statement this afternoon, Kerry CAMHS Family Support Group said parents in its group believe all children suffered harm.
In their statement, the parents said: "As a group, we have repeatedly spoken out about the number of children 'significantly harmed'. This is reported at 46 presently, but we know this figure is not true. Maskey [Consultant Sean Maskey, who conducted the review] said the number was likely to change, but this appears more related to total numbers and not numbers in relation to the levels of harm. ALL the children in the group suffered side effects and were not 'at risk' of harm."
The parents said many questions were being asked on this point and they were looking for clarity from the Government.
"The families require time to process the information in the letters received and await the full terms and conditions [of the compensation scheme] before making their decision," they said.
They are also looking for a guarantee that supports being put in place now for their children will remain in place long-term.
The parents said the majority of families in their group welcomed the announcement by the Minister with Responsibility for Mental Health Services, Mary Butler, of a non-adversarial compensation scheme for children involved.
"Many are exhausted with the long-term fight for services and the revelation of the sub-standard care received," the statement said. "Avoiding a lengthy court process and additional stresses involved would be a priority for many who require supports for their loved ones. Understandably, there are concerns about whether the process really will be smooth. We have had discussions with Minister Butler and she assures us this will be the case."
