How to get a B4 School Check for your child
If your child has turned 4, they are due for their B4 School Check now. If you are yet to hear from your local B4 School Check provider it's important you contact them to make a booking.
It's a good idea for your child to have their B4 School Check soon after their 4th birthday. That leaves enough time for your child to get any help needed before they start school.
Where the B4 School Check takes place
Your local B4 School Check provider will let you know where your child's check will take place.
The check takes place in a variety of community, health and education settings.
What happens at the B4 School Check
A video about the B4 School Check.
Source: Ministry of Health
You and your child will have an appointment with a nurse for about 45 minutes. The nurse will explain what happens at the check and will ask if you agree (consent) to the check.
You can talk with the nurse about your child and anything that is worrying you.
Before your child's check, look at the B4 School Check pages in the 'My Health Book' for ideas for things to talk about.
A video showing 4 year old Daniel and his family talking about their experience of the B4 School Check.
Source: Ministry of Health
The check
The nurse will:
- check your child's height and weight
- check your child's teeth
- ask if your child has been immunised
- ask you questions about your child's learning and development and strengths and difficulties
- ask you questions about your child's health and wellbeing
- provide you advice and support about your child's health and development
Vision and hearing check
A vision and hearing technician will check your child can see and hear well. This may happen at a different time to the rest of your child's B4 School Check.
Questionnaires about your child
At, or sometimes before, the check, you will be asked to fill out questionnaires about your child's development and wellbeing.
If your child goes to a preschool, kindergarten or kōhanga reo, they will also be asked about your child's learning and development.
After the B4 School Check
If you or the nurse have any concerns, the nurse will discuss this with you and offer to refer you to other services that may help.
The nurse can also help if your child needs to catch-up on any missed vaccinations.
In this video, 5-year-old Cornelius and his whānau tell us about the B4 School Check.
Source: Ministry of Health
Your child's B4 School Check results
You can get a copy of your child's B4 School Check results. The nurse will also record your child's growth and development in your child's My Health Book.
The nurse will explain:
- what happens to the information collected about your child during the check
- who will have access to the information
- what will be shared with your child's health professional, preschool, kindergarten or kōhanga reo, and the school your child will be going to
Information about the B4 School Check.
Acknowledgements
The content on this page is adapted from content on the Health Information and Services website, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand.
