Well Child/Tamariki Ora services and checks
Well Child/Tamariki Ora services are a screening, education and support service offered to all New Zealand children and their families or whanau from birth to 5 years.
The services assist and support families and whanau to improve and protect their children's health.
First time parents and families requiring extra support are offered additional visits. Some visits are carried out in the home and others in clinics or community facilities.
When do the checks happen?
Well Child/Tamariki Ora services are provided by registered nurses and community health workers/kaiāwhina with specific training in child health.
The current Well Child/Tamariki Ora schedule includes 12 health checks (visits/contacts) with 8 of these offered to children aged from 4 - 6 weeks to 5 years.
Between birth and 4 weeks
4 checks are provided by a midwife, health practitioner or obstetrician:
- soon after birth
- 24 hours after birth
- during the first week of baby's life
- between 2 - 4 weeks
Note the birth to 4 weeks checks listed above do not apply for social obligations purposes.
Between 4 weeks and 5 years
Eight more checks are provided by the Well Child provider, at:
- 4 - 6 weeks
- 8 - 10 weeks
- 3 - 4 months
- 5 - 7 months
- 9 - 12 months
- 15 - 18 months
- 2 - 3 years
- 4 - 5 years (this is the before school check, and the final Well Child health check)
For more information see:
Legislation
- Obligations of young person granted young parent payment section 164(c) Social Security Act 2018
- Health care enrolment: prescribed health practitioners, regulation 92, 93, and 94, Social Security Regulations 2018
