NSW Government
About our Brighter Beginnings Health & Development Check
We work with you and your child's Early Childhood Education Centre to:
- Provide a free health and development check for your child (similar to a Blue Book
check):- Measuring height and weight
- Oral health: lift the lip check
- Reviewing development: communication, behaviour and social skills, fine
and gross motor skills, learning and play skills
- Support your child to access services that can help with any identified development
or health needs. - Support families and Educators to address needs at home and within Early Childhood
Education Centres. - Four-year-old vaccinations will not be given. Please make an appointment with your
family doctor or local Community Health Clinic - The Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening program continues to offer free vision
screening.
How to get help
Brighter Beginnings will contact Early Childhood Education Centres across the Hunter New England Local Health District to arrange visits.
Early Childhood Education Centres will let their families know a few weeks before our visit and will hand out
paperwork.
Parents/Carers will then complete and return the paperwork to your Early Childhood Education Centre. Children will only be screened after their caregiver has provided consent.
Health & development checks can also be done by Child and Family Health Services or your
family doctor.
Understanding your child's health and development
Your child's development from birth to age 5 is a journey with important milestones along
the way. Learn more about:
- Health and development in the first five years
- Watch short videos of 4-year-old and 5-year-old milestones
- NSW Health’s introduction of Brighter Beginnings Health & Development Checks