Well Child Tamariki Ora visits
The Well Child Tamariki Ora programme is a series of health visits and support that are free to all families for tamariki (children) from around 6 weeks up to 5 years of age.
On this page
- Enrol with Well Child Tamariki Ora services
- The first Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
- The 8 to 10 weeks Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
- The 3 to 4 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
- The 5 to 7 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
- The 9 to 12 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
- The 15 to 18 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
- The 2 to 3 years Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
Enrol with Well Child Tamariki Ora services
It is important to enrol with a Well Child Tamariki Ora service as soon as your pēpi (baby) is born. They will see your pēpi when your midwife finishes visiting you. Your midwife can help you choose the Well Child Tamariki Ora service that is right for you.
Well Child Tamariki Ora providers (internal link)
About Well Child Tamariki Ora visits
The free Well Child Tamariki Ora visits cover:
- child growth and development
- family health and wellbeing
- immunisation information
- oral health (teeth and gum) checks
- early childhood education
- vision (sight) and hearing checks
- health and development checks for learning well at school.
Well Child Tamariki Ora nurses
Well Child Tamariki Ora nurses are experts in child health and growth. Your nurse will support you to protect and improve your child’s health.
My Health Book
Your midwife will give you a free Well Child Tamariki Ora My Health Book. The My Health Book reminds you about all the things that you can do to keep your child healthy and safe.
If you do not have a book, or you have lost yours, you can download these for free from the HealthEd website.
Well Child Tamariki Ora My Health Book — HealthEd (external link)
The first Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your pēpi (baby) is 4 to 6 weeks old they will have their first health and development check with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out about things to think about before the visit.
It is a good time for you to ask questions, so it helps to write down any you have before the visit. Remember to have your baby’s My Health Book with you at the visit.
At the visit, the nurse will:
- ask about breastfeeding and offer help if you need it
- check that your pēpi is healthy and well, and measure their length, weight and head size
- check that your pēpi can see and hear well
- check your baby’s development
- ask if your pēpi has been immunised or if an appointment has been made for the 6-week immunisations
- talk to you about how you are and how you are getting on — for example, being a new mum, your mood, having sex and contraception, your whānau, smoking, drinking and drugs, money worries, family violence.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
Before your baby’s check, read through the 4 to 6 weeks check pages in the My Health Book. Most babies can see and hear well, but the few who cannot need help as soon as possible. Check your baby’s eyes and ears often by going through the questions below. Talk to your nurse if you answer ‘no’ to any of the questions.
Can your baby see well?
Do they:
- close their eyes against a bright light?
- stare at people’s faces when they are up close?
- turn towards light?
- smile at you without being touched or spoken to?
Can your baby hear well?
When there is a sudden loud noise, do they:
- jump or blink?
- stir in their sleep?
- stop sucking for a moment?
- look up from sucking?
- cry?
The check is a good time to talk with the nurse about your baby and being a parent. You could talk about:
- your baby’s feeding and breastfeeding
- safe sleeping for your baby and sleeping patterns
- what your baby’s behaviour means, for example crying
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your baby
- how to enrol your baby with the Community Oral Health Service
- immunisation
- knowing when your baby is sick and what to do about it
- being smokefree
- keeping your baby safe at home and while out and about
- car seats and car safety
- your feelings about being a parent and where to get help if you need it
- whānau relationships.
The 8 to 10 weeks Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your pēpi (baby) is 8 to 10 weeks old they will have a health and development check with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out here about things to think about before the visit.
Remember to take your baby’s My Health Book with you to the check.
At the 8 to 10 weeks visit, the nurse will:
- ask about breastfeeding
- measure your baby’s length, weight and head size and check their hips
- check that your pēpi can see and hear well
- check your baby’s development
- ask if your pēpi has been immunised
- talk to you about how you are, how you are getting on and being a parent — for example, feeding your pēpi, safe sleeping, avoiding accidents, recognising when pēpi is sick, smoking, family violence.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
Your baby’s development
The nurse will ask questions about your baby’s learning, development and behaviour. This may include questions about how your pēpi:
- moves
- shows what they want
- understands what you say
- acts around whānau
- plays.
The nurse will also ask if you or your whānau have any concerns about your pēpi. If there are problems, finding them early and supporting you to deal with them can make a big difference to you and your pēpi.
Before your baby’s check, read through the 8 to 10 weeks check pages in the My Health Book. Think about how well your pēpi can see and hear.
Can your pēpi see well?
Do they:
- close their eyes against a bright light?
- stare at people’s faces when they are up close?
- turn towards light?
- smile at you without being touched or spoken to?
Can your pēpi hear well?
When there is a sudden loud noise, do they:
- jump or blink?
- stir in their sleep?
- stop sucking for a moment?
- look up from sucking?
- cry?
Talk to your nurse or your doctor if you think your pēpi is not seeing or hearing well.
The visit is a good time to talk with the nurse about your pēpi and being a parent. You could talk about:
- your baby’s feeding
- safe sleeping for your pēpi and sleeping patterns
- what your baby’s behaviour means, for example, crying
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your pēpi, and early learning
- enrolling your pēpi with the Community Oral Health Service
- immunisation
- knowing when your pēpi is sick and what to do about it
- being smokefree
- keeping your pēpi safe at home and while out and about
- car seats and car safety
- your feelings about being a parent and where to get help if you need it
- whānau relationships
- returning to work.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
The 3 to 4 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your pēpi (baby) is 3 to 4 months old they will have a health and development visit with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out about things to think about before the visit.
Remember to take your baby’s My Health Book with you to the visit.
At the 3 to 4 months visit, the nurse will:
- ask about breastfeeding
- measure your baby’s weight and head size and check their hips
- check that your pēpi can see and hear well
- check your baby’s development
- ask if your pēpi has been immunised
- talk to you about how you are, how you are getting on and being a parent — for example, breastfeeding and moving on to solid food, your mood, smoking in the house, family violence.
Your baby’s development
You know your child better than anyone else does. In order to be sure that any problems are picked up early, at this visit the nurse will ask some questions about your baby’s learning, development and behaviour. This may include questions about how your pēpi:
- makes sounds
- uses their hands and fingers to do things
- moves their arms and legs
- gets along with others.
If there are problems, finding them early and supporting you to deal with them can make a big difference to you and your pēpi.
Before your baby’s check, read through the 3 to 4 months check pages in the My Health Book. Think about how well your pēpi can see and hear.
Can your baby see well?
Do they:
- close their eyes against a bright light?
- stare at people’s faces when they are up close?
- turn towards light?
- smile at you without being touched or spoken to?
- look at their own fingers?
Can your baby hear well?
Do they:
- blink or cry when there is a sudden noise?
- stop crying or sucking when you talk?
- wake or stir to loud sounds?
- coo or smile when you talk?
- turn their eyes towards voices?
- seem to like a musical toy?
- stop moving when there is a new sound?
- seem to know your voice?
Talk to your nurse or your doctor if you think your pēpi is not seeing or hearing well.
The visit is a good time to talk with the nurse about your pēpi and being a parent. You could talk about:
- your baby’s feeding
- safe sleeping for your pēpi and sleeping patterns
- what your baby’s behaviour means, for example, crying
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your pēpi, and early learning at home
- teething and enrolling your pēpi with the Community Oral Health Service
- immunisation
- knowing when your pēpi is sick and what to do about it
- being smokefree
- keeping your pēpi safe at home and while out and about
- car seats and car safety
- your feelings about being a parent and where to get help if you need it
- whānau relationships
- returning to work
- choices for daycare, preschool and kōhanga reo, and enrolling in time.
Information about finding, choosing and starting out at a daycare, preschool or kōhanga reo is on the Ministry of Education website.
Early learning — Ministry of Education (external link)
The 5 to 7 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your pēpi (baby) is 5 to 7 months old they will have a health and development check with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out here about things to think about before the visit.
Remember to take your baby’s My Health Book with you to the visit.
At the 5 to 7 months visit, the nurse will:
- ask about breastfeeding
- measure your baby’s length, weight and head size and check their hips
- check that your pēpi can see and hear well
- check your baby’s teeth and gums
- check your baby’s development
- ask if your pēpi has been immunised
- talk to you about how you are, how you are getting on and being a parent — for example, breastfeeding and moving on to solid food, being safe, smoking in the house, family violence.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
Your baby’s development
The nurse will ask questions about your baby’s learning, development and behaviour. This may include questions about how your pēpi:
- makes speech sounds
- understands what you say
- uses their hands and fingers to do things
- uses their arms and legs
- gets along with others
- is learning to do things for themselves.
The nurse will also ask if you or your whānau have any concerns about your pēpi. If there are problems, finding them early and supporting you to deal with them can make a big difference to you and your pēpi.
Before your baby’s check, read through the 5 to 7 months check pages in the My Health Book. Think about how well your pēpi can see and hear.
Can your baby see well?
Do they:
- follow a slow-moving, bright-coloured object with their eyes?
- reach out for toys and other things?
- hold toys firmly and look closely at them?
Can your baby hear well?
Do they:
- turn towards a sound or someone speaking?
- cry when there is a sudden noise?
- like music?
- make lots of different babbling sounds?
- sometimes copy sounds you make?
Talk to your nurse or your doctor if you think your child is not seeing or hearing well.
The visit is a good time to talk with the nurse about your pēpi and being a parent. You could talk about:
- starting your baby on solid food (at around 6 months)
- safe sleeping for your pēpi and sleeping patterns
- what your baby’s behaviour means, for example, crying
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your pēpi
- teething and tooth-brushing
- enrolling your pēpi with the Community Oral Health Service
- immunisation
- knowing when your pēpi is sick and what to do about it
- being smokefree
- keeping your pēpi safe at home and while out and about
- car seats and car safety
- your feelings about being a parent and where to get help if you need it
- whānau relationships
- returning to work
- choices for daycare, preschool and kōhanga reo, and enrolling in time.
Information about finding, choosing and starting out at a daycare, preschool or kōhanga reo is on the Ministry of Education website.
Early learning — Ministry of Education (external link)
The 9 to 12 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your pēpi (baby) is 9 to 12 months old they will have a health and development visit with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out about things to think about before the visit.
Remember to take your baby’s My Health Book with you to the visit.
At the 9 to 12 months visit, the nurse will:
- ask about breastfeeding and the foods that your pēpi may be eating
- measure your baby’s length, weight and head size, and check how they move
- check that your pēpi can see and hear well
- check your baby’s teeth and gums
- check your baby’s development
- ask if your pēpi has been immunised
- talk to you about how you are, how you are getting on and being a parent — for example, breastfeeding and moving on to solid food, being safe, smoking in the house, family violence.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
Your baby’s development
The nurse will ask questions about your baby’s learning, development and behaviour. This may include questions about how your pēpi:
- talks and makes speech sounds
- understands what you say
- uses their hands and fingers to do things
- uses their arms and legs
- behaves
- gets along with others
- is learning to do things for themselves.
The nurse will also ask if you or your whānau have any concerns about your pēpi. If there are problems, finding them early and supporting you to deal with them can make a big difference to you and your pēpi.
Before your baby’s check, read through the 9 to 12 months check pages in the My Health Book. Think about how well your pēpi can see and hear.
Can your baby see well?
Do they:
- pick up small things like bits of fluff from the floor?
- follow the movement of a dangling ball in all directions?
- look for dropped toys?
- watch what people are doing near them?
- tilt their head sideways to look at things?
- have a lazy eye, ‘cross’ eye or squint (when both eyes don’t look straight at you most of the time)?
Can your baby hear well?
Do they:
- respond to their own name?
- look around to find new sounds – even quiet ones?
- understand ‘no’ and ‘bye-bye’?
- listen when people talk?
- like copying sounds?
- use babbling that sounds like real speech?
- try to talk back when you talk?
Talk to your nurse or your doctor if you think your pēpi is not seeing or hearing well.
The visit is a good time to talk with the nurse about your baby and being a parent. You could talk about:
- feeding your pēpi
- your baby’s behaviour
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your pēpi
- teething and tooth-brushing
- enrolling your pēpi with the Community Oral Health Service
- immunisation
- knowing when your pēpi is sick and what to do about it
- being smokefree
- keeping your pēpi safe at home and while out and about
- car seats and car safety
- choices for daycare, preschool and kōhanga reo.
Information about finding, choosing and starting out at a daycare, preschool or kōhanga reo is on the Ministry of Education website.
Early learning — Ministry of Education (external link)
The 15 to 18 months Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your tamaiti (child) is 15 to 18 months old they will have a health and development visit with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out about things to think about before the visit.
Remember to take your child’s My Health Book with you to the visit.
At the 15 to 18 months visit, the nurse will:
- measure your child’s height and weight, and check how they walk and move
- check that your child can see and hear well
- check your child’s teeth and gums
- check your child’s development
- ask if your child has been immunised
- ask questions about your health and wellbeing, including family violence.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
Your child’s development
The nurse will ask questions about your child’s learning, development and behaviour. They will ask how your child:
- talks and makes speech sounds
- understands what you say
- uses their hands and fingers to do things
- uses their arms and legs
- is learning to do things for themselves
- behaves
- gets along with others
- is learning preschool skills.
The nurse will also ask if you or your whānau have any concerns about your child. If there are problems, finding them early and supporting you to deal with them can make a big difference to you and your child.
Before your child’s visit read through the 15 to 18 months check pages in the My Health Book. Think about how well your child can see, hear and talk.
Can your child see well?
Do they:
- pick up small objects with their finger and thumb?
- point to interesting things (like birds)?
- watch everything that is going on around them?
- search with their hands rather than their eyes?
- bring objects up close to their eyes?
- have a lazy eye, ‘cross’ eye or squint (when both eyes don’t look straight at you)?
Can your child hear well? Are they starting to talk?
Do they:
- point to people and things they know when asked to?
- copy or repeat simple words and sounds?
- understand things like ‘come here’?
- use their voice to get attention?
- say 2 or 3 words?
- listen when people talk?
Talk to your nurse or your doctor if you think your child is not seeing or hearing well.
This visit is a good time to talk with the nurse about your child and being a parent. You could talk about:
- feeding your child
- your child’s behaviour and development
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your child
- teething, dental health and tooth-brushing
- immunisation
- knowing when your child is sick and what to do about it
- being smokefree
- keeping your child safe at home and while out and about
- getting ready for using the toilet
- choices for daycare, preschool and kōhanga reo.
Information about finding, choosing and starting out at a daycare, preschool or kōhanga reo is on the Ministry of Education website.
Early learning — Ministry of Education (external link)
The 2 to 3 years Well Child Tamariki Ora visit
When your child is 2 to 3 years old they will have a health and development visit with the Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse. Find out about things to think about before the visit.
Remember to take your child’s My Health Book with you to the visit.
At the 2 to 3 years visit, the nurse will:
- measure your child’s height and weight, and check how they walk and move
- check that your child can see, hear and speak well
- check your child’s teeth and gums
- check your child’s development
- ask if your child has been immunised
- talk to you about preschool, daycare and kōhanga reo
- ask questions about your health and wellbeing, including family violence.
Immunisations for babies and toddlers (internal link)
Your child’s development
The nurse will ask questions about your child’s learning, development and behaviour. They will ask how your child:
- talks and makes speech sounds
- understands what you say
- uses their hands and fingers to do things
- uses their arms and legs
- is learning to do things for themselves
- behaves
- gets along with others
- is learning preschool skills.
The nurse will also ask if you or your whānau have any concerns about your child. If there are problems, finding them early and supporting you to deal with them can make a big difference to you and your child.
Before your child’s visit, read through the 2 to 3 years check pages in the My Health Book. Think about how well your child can see, hear and talk.
Can your child see well?
Do they:
- recognise small details in picture books?
- hold objects really close to look at them?
- have a lazy eye, ‘cross’ eye or squint (when both eyes don’t look straight at you)?
Can your child hear and speak well?
By 2½ years do they:
- do 2 things when asked, like 'get the ball and bring it here'?
- repeat what you say?
- continually learn new words?
- say simple sentences with 2 or more words in them?
- use many words that non-whānau members can understand?
Do they, by 3 years:
- speak clearly so that everyone can understand?
- ask lots of ‘what’ and ‘why’ questions?
Talk to your nurse or your doctor if you think your child is not seeing, hearing or speaking well.
The visit is a good time to talk with the nurse about your child and being a parent. You could talk about:
- feeding your child
- your child’s behaviour and development
- ways to play, have fun and be active with your child
- teething, dental health and tooth-brushing
- being smokefree
- keeping your child safe – at home and while out and about
- toilet training
- choices for daycare, preschool and kōhanga reo
- whānau relationships.
Information about finding, choosing and starting out at a daycare, preschool or kōhanga reo is on the Ministry of Education website.
Early learning — Ministry of Education (external link)