A report to the July council meeting revealed 120 pre school children from across the shire, including Peak Hill, Trundle, Tullamore and Bogan Gate, were screened for speech and language development and occupational therapy.

Through Royal Far West, 23 children have so far received occupational therapy; and 16 children received speech therapy.

A locally-generated pilot therapy program has also provided services for five children.

"Sprouts are doing very well," Deputy Mayor Cr Barbara Newton told councillors at the July meeting.

"Private therapy is very expensive, a lot of children have been screened and required a lot of referrals through two, three or four disciplines so the project is really important."

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Eighty two children received 198 referrals, the report to councillors says. Teachers, early childhood educators and allied health staff took part in a "capacity building" session.

"One of the highlights has been the capacity building sessions for early educators and parents, these specialist practitioners are talking to them," Cr Newton said.

"In early education, the professional development of those teachers isn't very much and they do feel very isolated...so Sprouts have been able to have a couple of sessions already and the educators have find them terrific.

"It has opened up the doors to see where the gaps are for the little children that fall through them."

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