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 whānau from birth to 5 years.
The services assist and support families and whānau 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.
Different providers run the Well Child/Tamariki Ora services including:
- Plunket
- Māori health providers
- Pacific Island health providers
- Public Health Services - for example, public health nurses, community nurses, community health workers, social workers
When the checks happen
The 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
8 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
- Young person aged 16 to 19 years who has dependent child and who is spouse or partner of specified beneficiary section 167(3)(c) Social Security Act 2018
