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 old.
The services assist and support families and whanau to improve and protect their children's health. They are provided free to all children under 5 years by registered nurses and community health workers with specific training in child 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
- Maori health providers
- Pacific Island health providers
- Public Health Services - for example, public health nurses, community nurses, community health workers, social workers
When do the checks happen?
The current Well Child/Tamariki Ora schedule includes 12 health checks (contacts) with 8 of these offered to children aged from 4 - 6 weeks to 5 years old.
Between birth and 4 weeks old
Three checks are provided by a midwife, general practitioner or obstetrician:
- soon after birth
- during the first week of baby's life
- between 2 and 4 weeks old
Between 4 weeks and 4 years old
Eight more checks are provided by the Well Child/Tamariki Ora 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/Tamariki Ora health check)
For more information see:
Legislation
- Obligations of young person granted young parent payment section 164(1)(c) Social Security Act 2018
