HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
The B4 School Check is free for every 4-year-old child in New Zealand. It is the last Well Child check. It's a good idea for your child to have their B4 School Check soon after their 4th birthday. This leaves enough time for follow-up before they start school.
The check is a chance to have your child's health and development checked before they start school. It is an opportunity for you to talk with a nurse about your child and ask about things that are important to you. Your child will also have their vision and hearing checked.
After the check, you can get a copy of the results.
You will be asked to fill in a questionnaire about your child's development and wellbeing. You will also be asked to complete a consent form to show that you consent to the B4 School Check.
If your child attends a preschool, kindergarten, or kÅhanga reo, their teacher will be asked to fill in a questionnaire. This questionnaire is about your child's learning and development.
You and your child will receive an appointment to attend a B4 School Check clinic. A nurse will talk to you about your child's health and development, social and emotional wellbeing, and immunisations. They will also check your child's teeth, height and weight. You will be able to talk with the nurse about your child's wellbeing and about anything that is worrying you.
Please bring along your child's Well Child Tamariki Ora health book. The nurse will record your child's growth and development in the book.
Your child's vision and hearing will be assessed by a vision and hearing technician. If your 4-year-old child does not go to an early childhood centre, please contact the vision and hearing testing team on (03) 769‑7400 ext 2753 to make an appointment.
After the check, you can get a copy of the results. You can also ask any further questions about your child's health and development.
If you or the nurse thinks your child has any health or development issues that need further assessment, the nurse will discuss this with you. The nurse will offer to refer you to other services that may help. The nurse can also help if your child needs any catch-up immunisations.
If there are concerns about your child's vision, the nurse may suggest you see an optometrist who is happy to see young children. You'll need to pay to see an optometrist unless you have a Community Services Card. You'll need to make the appointment yourself. See Eye examinations for children for more information.
If there are concerns about your child's hearing, your child will be referred for a full hearing check.
Your child's B4 School Check is due when they turn 4. B4 School Checks are done by the Public Health Nursing Service.
For more information about the free B4 School Check, call the Canterbury B4 School Check Service Coordinator on 0800‑247‑2123. You can also talk to your family doctor or nurse.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
Information for parents about early childhood education.
Information about the B4 School Check including videos of parents talking about their experiences with the checks.
This pamphlet introduces and explains the B4 School Check.
Also available in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Hindi, and Korean.
Information provided by the Canterbury DHB. Page created January 2015. Last updated July 2019.
Review key: HICDG-40335