B4 School Checks

Has your child turned 4? If so, it’s time to get their FREE B4 School Check.

What is the B4 School Check?
The B4 school check is a free check for four year olds.
The check helps to make sure your child is healthy and can learn well at school. It’s also a chance to discuss your child’s health and development with a nurse. Your child will also have their vision and hearing checked.
The B4 school check is the final Well Child check and is FREE.
You can book your child’s check a month before they turn four, that way an appointment can be made as soon as possible.

What happens in the B4 School Check?
The check usually takes around 45-60 minutes with a nurse and parent or caregiver there.
You will be asked to fill in questionnaires about your child’s development and wellbeing.
If your child attends a preschool, kindergarten or Kohanga reo, they will also be asked about your child’s learning and development.

What will the nurse talk to me about?

Your child’s health and development
Vision
Hearing
Teeth
Height
Weight
Social and emotional wellbeing
Immunisations

How can my child get a B4 School Check?
Your local B4 School Check provider will invite you and your child to attend and will ask for your consent.
The checks are carried out by child health nurses. In Taranaki, checks are delivered by the Public Health Nurses, Tui Ora and Ngati Ruanui (South Taranaki).

What happens after the B4 School Check?
After your child has had their B4 School Check the nurse will discuss the results with the family, with a chance to ask further questions.

Please bring along your child’s Well Child Tamariki Ora Health Book so the nurse can record your child’s growth and development.

If your child needs anything more the nurse will offer to refer them to another service that may help. This could be another nurse, a doctor, a specialist such as a paediatrician or speech-language therapist, the dental service or someone who can help with behavioural problems.

For more information about the free B4 School Checks contact:

B4 School Check Bookings – North Taranaki (06) 753 6139 ext 8736
B4 School Check Bookings – South Taranaki (06) 765 7189 ext 5804/5807
Talk to your family doctor or nurse
Talk to your Well Child Tamariki Ora provider; Plunket, Tui Ora or Ngati Ruanui
Talk to your public health nurse
Visit health.govt.nz/b4schoolcheck

Links and resources:

www.health.govt.nz/our-work/life-stages/child-health/b4-school-check

Last updated: Tuesday, November 1, 2022