Royal Far West – together with Fairfax Media and Charles Sturt University – will host a ‘town hall’ style community meeting this Thursday to discuss challenges facing country children.

A local panel featuring parents, education professionals and community representatives has been formed especially for the gathering, taking place from 5pm-6.30pm at the Coventry Room.

READ MORE: Tackling vulnerability in Parkes children with Royal Far West

Parkes’ deputy mayor Barbara Newton is one of those panelists who is very eager to support the cause.

Cr Newton said she was very interested in Royal Far West’s new initiative to combat developmental vulnerability in children when she met Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane in April and was invited on the panel.

“I understand the lack of allied health services we have here, I know the limits it has, particularly in our villages,” she said.

“I was very keen to be part of this...there are families out there who do need Royal Far West.”

A registered nurse herself, Cr Newton has worked in age care and day care centres, on top of being a parent herself and formerly a family day care mother.

She praised the work of Royal Far West and said they have a very comprehensive follow-up system.

“I can see the need for it,” Cr Newton said.

She said she was shocked to learn that one in five children in the Parkes Shire is not developmentally ready to start school at the age of five, according to 2015 Australian Early Development Census Data. 

“But the biggest thing that hit home for me was of the long term mental health impacts it has on children,” Cr Newton said.

“[We all] know mental health is severely under-serviced in our areas.”

Join Cr Newton and the remaining panelists in the Coventry Room on Thursday, June 28.

Registrations are at 5pm and discussions begin at 5.30pm until 6.30pm.

To register, visit www.royalfarwest.org.au/town-hall, email community@royalfarwest.org.au or call 1800 961 001.