$13 million expansion for health and development checks in SA

More South Australian children will receive free health and development checks under a $13.3 million expansion of the state’s Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS).

“The first five years are very important for lifetime development as this is when the brain and body grows rapidly, that’s why regular health and development checks are so important,” WCHN Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery, & Consumer Experience, Rachael Yates said.

“Regular child health and development checks are a vital part of a child’s early years and I encourage parents and caregivers to make them a priority for their baby and young child. We’re thrilled to be able to expand our health checks program to benefit even more South Australian families and young children.”

During the checks a specially trained child development nurse assesses a child’s physical health, social skills, motor skills, problem-solving skills, and communication skills.

“Families are at the heart of healthy child development. Supporting families to access expert support and guidance early in their parenting journey is incredibly important,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said.

“We know that families can find it hard to know what to do and where to find help during a child’s early years and we are working to change this.”

Available for children aged birth – five years of age, the regular child health and development checks are an important service for families and give parents valuable insight into their child’s developmental process.

The screenings are age-appropriate and support healthy growth and development, while identifying and connecting families to appropriate support services if needed.Each child can access seven health and development checks before they turn five years of age.

Both the frequency and reach of health and development checks will be expanded thanks to the funding, in line with recommendations from the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.

The $13.3 million expansion will build on CaFHS’ existing screening service delivery and increase their reach across the state by up to 35 per cent, funding up to an additional 50,000 checks across three years.

The Office for Early Childhood Development is working with the Women’s and Children’s Health Networks’ (WCHN) CaFHS service to support the expansion of child health and development checks, so more families can benefit.

To learn more about the State Government’s investment in early childhood health and development checks, visit www.cafhs.sa.gov.au/services/health-checks