The Child Health Cluster is a team of motivated health professionals working with schools and communities to encourage positive health outcomes. Our services are confidential and provided free of charge. While we focus on schools in high needs areas, every school has access to a public health nurse.
Referral to a school public health nurse
Please complete the referral form if you would like to refer a child to the school public health nurse.
/snippets.jpg)
School public health nursing
Our public health nurses work with tamariki/children in primary and intermediate schools (and early childhood centres in Wairarapa only) providing a free health service.
This includes assistance with:
- Health advice
- Skin conditions
- Breathing problems
- Behavioural and developmental concerns
- Wetting and soiling
- Vision and hearing concerns
- Mental health
- Child protection
- Absenteeism related to a health concern
- Referrals to specialist services
We work closely with schools as well as visiting families and whānau in their homes for follow up and helping them access the support they need.
Public health nurses also promote information on healthy choices, promotion of well-being and prevention of illness including:
- Smoke-free living
- SunSmart
- Mental wellbeing
- Oral health
- Healthy eating
- Physical activity
- Healthy relationships
Download a brochure on the Child Health Cluster here.
School based immunisation services
The Immunisation team is a team of experienced registered nurses providing immunisations in schools.
Year 7 children are offered the Boostrix vaccine which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough), as well as the HPV (Gardasil) vaccine which protects against infection from 9 types of human papillomavirus (HPV) which can lead to a range of cancers later in life.
All Year 8 students coming from overseas or from other region of New Zealand that did not receive their Boostrix or HPV can have those delivered at school or at their GP free of charge.
Immunisation videos
You can watch videos telling Year 7 and 8 students about the immunisations here:
Te Kano Ārai Mate ā-kura - information about school immunisations in te reo Māori
Immunisation video: Protect against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough
Immunisation video: Protection against HPV
For more information about these vaccines please visit the Ministry of Health website.
Vision and hearing screening
Vision and hearing screening helps ensure that our children’s ability to learn is at its best.
Vision and hearing technicians provide:
- Screening programmes
- Advice around what to do if tamariki need support with their hearing and vision
- Hearing and vision screening for pre-school tamariki as part of the B4 School Checks programme
Healthy Active Learning
Our public health advisor focus is to improve child and youth wellbeing through healthy eating and drinking, and quality physical activity through:
- Implementing Healthy Food and Water Only Policies
- Supporting partners in early learning settings, kura and schools to encourage the adoption of policies
- Supporting partners to enhance their delivery in health related initiatives
- Ensuring an equity lens is across all areas of work
Find our more about
Healthy Active Learning here.
