Child Health in New Zealand

Information for parents

What is the B4 School Check?
The B4 School Check is a free health and development check for four year olds. The Check helps to make sure your child is healthy and can learn well at school. It is also a chance to discuss your child's health and development with a specially trained registered nurse.

The B4 School Check is the eighth and final Well Child check. It is not designed to pick up every health problem your child might have, so if you have any concerns about your child at any time, talk to your family doctor.

We want you to be involved. We need your help to fill out two questionnaires about your child’s development and behaviour. An early childhood educator or teacher who knows your child well will also be asked to fill out the behavioural questionnaire. Your child will also have their vision and hearing tested.

How does 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. For more information, refer to the ‘B4 School Check Information for Parents and Guardians’ pamphlet and consent form below. You can also find out more information on how the B4 School Check is being delivered in your area by contacting the B4 School Check Key Contact for your area.

B4 School Check Information for Parents and Guardians (PDF, 1 MB)
Translated versions: Māori (PDF, 1 MB), Samoan (PDF, 1 MB), Tongan (PDF, 1 MB), Korean (PDF, 1 MB), Traditional Chinese (PDF, 1 MB), Simplified Chinese (PDF, 1 MB), Hindi (PDF, 1 MB) and Arabic (PDF, 1 MB).

How does the B4 School Check happen?
The B4 School Check usually takes about 45-60 minutes. Most of it will be done by a nurse with you there because you know your child best. Your child’s eyesight and hearing will usually be tested by vision and hearing technicians, and this test may happen separately.

If you or the nurse thinks your child has a possible problem or difficulty, 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 has missed out on any immunisations.

What happens after the B4 School Check?
After your child has had their B4 School Check the nurse will discuss the Check with you and you can get a copy of the results. If your child has a Well Child Tamariki Ora Health Book, bring it along to the B4 School Check and the nurse will fill out the details.

If your child needs anything more, the nurse will offer to refer them to another service. This could be to 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. If a referral is needed you will be asked for your permission to pass on your child’s information.

What happens to information collected as part of the B4 School Check?
At the B4 School Check the nurse will explain what happens to the information collected during the check, who will have access to it, and what will be shared with your family doctor, early childhood centre or kohanga reo, and the school your child is going to attend or attends.

Questions and answers on the B4 School Check (PDF, 55 KB)

Vision Screening
The brochures below explain the results of vision screening on four and five year old children.

Vision Screening – referral brochure for parents (PDF, 173 KB)
Translated versions: Māori (PDF, 131 KB), Tongan (PDF, 144 KB), Korean (PDF, 172 KB), Traditional Chinese (PDF, 300 KB), Simplified Chinese (PDF, 255 KB), Hindi (PDF, 235 KB) and Samoan (PDF, 129 KB)
Vision Screening – pass brochure for parents (PDF, 132 KB)
Translated versions: Māori (PDF, 89 KB), Tongan (PDF, 92 KB), Korean (PDF, 138 KB), Traditional Chinese (PDF, 212 KB), Simplified Chinese (PDF, 167 KB), Hindi (PDF, 99 KB) and Samoan (PDF, 95 KB)

Frequently Asked Questions about Vision Screening (PDF, 140 KB)

More information
For more information about the B4 School Check:

talk to your family doctor or nurse, Well Child Tamariki Ora provider or public health nurse
read the additional information about B4 School Check on this website
call the free 24-hour health advice service Healthline (0800 611 116), which includes a Well Child line that provides parenting advice and health education information.

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Page last updated: 13 October 2009