GOOD rains were welcomed in parts of the state this week but some of the best drought relief has come from the boys and girls in blue.

In the past few weeks the PCYC NSW has travelled to 17 rural towns to cheer up local kids. The Saturday Telegraph joined the team on one of their first stops — in Narrabri, in the state’s north — where they put on a day of fun for the district’s children. There were sweets, a barbecue, sporting activities, games, a disco and pony rides.

Many of the kids had spent school holidays at home feeding emaciated cattle or sitting at home all day because their parents couldn’t afford holiday activities. Some said their parents had switched jobs and had been forced to lay off farm workers.

Others said their parents had closed the doors on their businesses.

And many told how they had helped their parents feed stock with whatever they could — potatoes, oranges and even lollies.

Lachlan Finnegan, 12, told how his dad went from working at a Caltex to doing night shifts in the nearby Whitehaven mine to support the family.

“He does extra shifts because of the drought … he started four months ago and he’s tired and he does night shifts and he works overtime,” he said.

Ashley Morris, 10, said she has seen animals on her family’s property become thinner.

“It’s really tough for my parents because we have to feed the cows all the time and the horses especially my old horse, she gets really skinny,” she said.

PCYC NSW chief executive Dominic Teakle said the relief program was an important opportunity for young people in drought-affected areas.

“Young kids feel what their parents are feeling but they don’t have the opportunity to express it,” Mr Teakle said.

“We are giving young people who are affected by drought a little bit of escape, a bit of diversion from what they’re facing.”

Narrabri police said there had been an increase in call-outs to farms for mental health reasons.

Senior Constable Will Kirby said children had to deal with the fallout of adults struggling to cope with the financial pressures.

“It puts a lot of pressure on everyone and most of these kids’ families are involved in the agricultural community in some way,” he said.

“When there is no rain there is no money. It makes life hard at home. Domestic violence goes up, kids are exposed to that, and they start to act out in other ways, that’s what we are seeing.”

Snr Const Kirby said almost all crimes rose when drought took hold in regional areas.