B4 School Checks on track towards target

15 July 2016

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says thousands of school new entrants are benefiting from a B4 School Check, and we’re on track to meet the July target.

“B4 School Checks help to ensure children get the best start at school by identifying and addressing any health or developmental problems at an early stage,” says Dr Coleman.

“We are currently two per cent over the target of 83 per cent of children checked by the end of May, and we are on track to meet the end of financial year target of 90 per cent.  

“We're also seeing continued progress in reaching out to families in high deprivation areas where services have been putting in additional effort. As of the end of May, we are one per cent over the 83 per cent target for high deprivation children.”

The B4 School Check is the final core Well Child Tamariki Ora check and is a comprehensive needs assessment, screening and health education opportunity for children turning four and their parents or caregivers.

Over 58,000 pre-schoolers received a B4 School Check last year - that’s 92 per cent of eligible four-year olds.

One of the commonest findings in the check are on vision and hearing. In the six months to 8 June 2016, over 1,300 children (5 per cent) were identified with a possible hearing loss and referred for treatment or assessment.

As part of the Childhood Obesity Plan the new Raising Healthy Kids target aims to have 95 per cent of children identified as obese in the B4 School Check offered a referral for clinical assessment and family based nutrition, activity and lifestyle interventions by December 2017.

Media contact: Angela Kenealy 021 220 0129

Last updated: Friday, July 15, 2016