No images? Click here
Dear ,
As we hit the mid-point of Term 3, we are excited to celebrate Speech Pathology week and are pleased to share some news from across the program.
There is plenty happening over the coming months, with a busy schedule of community visits ahead. These visits are a wonderful opportunity to connect, listen and learn from the communities we work alongside.
Thank you for your ongoing support and collaboration. We look forward to another productive term of working together to support the wellbeing of children and communities.
Kim Casburn
General Manager Schools & Community
Royal Far West
In this issue
In community visits
This term you might see our Schools and Early Years
multidisciplinary teams in:
Emerald & Springsure, Qld
Eugowra, NSW
Forbes, NSW
Bourke, NSW
Cootamundra, NSW
Gulgong & Dunedoo, NSW
Adelong & Batlow, NSW
We are also looking forward to exhibiting at the upcoming National Education Summit on the 3rd and 4th of September in Melbourne. Entry to the expo is free, plus there is a free seminar program running across both days. Register to attend here
With some additional clinical capacity coming online for 2027, we are already taking enquiries and planning for next year. If your current service delivery needs are changing, or you would like to explore the different ways allied health services can support your children, please reach out to our Partnerships team at partnerships@royalfarwest.org.au
Free Story Time Recordings
Did you know Royal Far West has a library of Story Time books read aloud?
They include a variety of topics including cultural identity and disaster resilience, read by Royal Far West staff. You can access this free resource here ✨Story Time ✨ - YouTube
Speech Pathology Week
This Speech Pathology Week the theme is Communication Creates Possibility.
This is reflective of what our speech pathologists see every day - when communication and swallowing needs are supported, children and families have more opportunities to connect, learn, make choices, participate, and thrive.
We're celebrating our team of 44 Speech Pathologists working across Australia, from the Sunshine Coast to Melbourne and throughout regional and rural communities.
Fun facts: - Our longest-serving speech pathologist has been with Royal Far West for 26 years!
- During the week commencing 10 August, our team delivered 421 Speech Pathology sessions.
Mental Health Podcast
How can we better support children and families recovering from disaster?
In the latest Mental Health Professionals Network podcast, Sarah Eagland (RFW Head of Schools and Early Years) and disaster expert Michelle Roberts discuss the critical role of trauma-informed care in meeting the complex and often overlooked needs of children affected by disasters.
Sharing insights from the Community Recovery Team framework and lessons learned across five years of practice, they explore practical, strengths-based strategies that promote safety, calm, connection, and agency, helping children and families navigate recovery with confidence.
Listen to the podcast and helpful strategies here: https://mhpn.org.au/podcasts/what-children-need-during-disaster-recovery/
Bringing Specialist Support Closer to Regional Communities in Forbes and Eugowra
Earlier this term two Royal Far West teams were on the ground in regional NSW, delivering specialist support and strengthening connections with local communities in the disaster impacted regions of Forbes and Eugowra
Through Individual therapy and assessment sessions, Classroom observations, Parent/carer drop-in sessions and a workshop focused on educator wellbeing, the team was able to provide tailored resilience building support while helping strengthen local capacity to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing.
This initiative is proudly funded under the Disaster Ready Fund – An Australian Government Initiative, with support from both the Australian Government and the NSW Government. You can read more about the visit here.
What's new
Semester 1 service and satisfaction survey results are in:
In Semester 1, our Schools and Early Years service delivered:
Over 13,500 clinical occasions of service
16 in‑community visits, plus ongoing telehealth
Thank you to the 160 schools and early learning centres that made this possible – we couldn’t do it without you!
Thank you to those who recently completed our Semester 1 2026 satisfaction survey. Each semester, we invite parents/carers and educators of children receiving services through our Schools and Early Years program to participate in an online survey. The questions ask about overall satisfaction, educator confidence, progress and outcomes for students, and any general feedback about the service.
Key findings from the most recent survey include:
96% of primary school, and 100% of early learning educators believe the service is valuable for their school or centre
93% of educators advised the program positively impacted their personal wellbeing and job satisfaction
98% of educators reported increased skills and confidence in supporting children with additional needs
96% of educators noticed improvement in children’s confidence as a result of the program
If you’d like further information on any of the items in this newsletter or would like to know more about Royal Far West services, please feel free to
reach out to our Partnerships team
