New B4SC resources to boost participation

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says new Before School Check resources aim to further increase participation in the free programme.

“The B4 School Checks programme gives children the best start at school by identifying and addressing any potential health or developmental problems at an early stage,” says Dr Coleman.

“We are on track again this year to reach the goal of checking 90 per cent of all four-year-olds.

“The number of Māori children getting a B4 School Check has increased from 68 per cent in 2011/12, to 83 per cent in 2013/14, and from 66 per cent to 80 per cent for Pacific children.

“New videos featuring Māori and Pacific families sharing their experiences of B4 School Checks aim to raise awareness and further boost participation.

“We want to see every family using this programme. B4 School Check providers continue to work closely with other services such as early childhood education to encourage uptake, particularly in harder to reach communities.”

Funded by the Ministry of Health, the new resources include leaflets for parents, caregivers and early childhood educators - some leaflets have been translated into Te Reo, Samoan and Tongan.

The new videos can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website www.health.govt.nz/B4schoolcheck.

The Government invests more than $10 million each year to provide free B4 School Checks for all four-year-olds. More than 280,000 children have been checked since the programme began in 2008.