Brighter Beginnings
Overview
- Who we are
- What we do
- How to get help
- Locations
- Understanding your four year old child's health and development
Who we are
The Brighter Beginnings team of health care professionals help children and families to access the supports they need. The team consists of nursing and allied health (Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist) staff.
We offer free health and development checks to four year old children in their Early Learning Centre.
What we do
We work with you and your four year old child's Early Learning Centre to:
- Provide free health and development checks for your four year old child (as set out in your child's Blue Book), including:
- Measuring your child's growth
- Reviewing your child's dental needs
- Reviewing your child's development in communication, behaviour and social skills, fine and gross motor skills, learning and play skills
- Provide support to access services that can help with any identified development or health needs
- Provide support to families and Early Learning Centres to address needs - both at home and within the Early Learning Centres
How to get help
To have your child screened at their Early Learning Centre, please complete and return the paperwork given to you by your child's Centre. This will be provided a few weeks before the Brighter Beginnings team visit.
Brighter Beginnings will contact your local Early Learning Centre to arrange visits.
Early Learning Centres will let their families know when visits are scheduled and will hand out paperwork to request the service. Please note: the service is voluntary and children will not be screened without consent.
If you would like to visit a Child and Family Health Centre to have your child screened, please see our Child and Family Health Centre page for locations and contact details. Alternatively, health and development screens can also be completed by your local GP.
Locations
Brighter Beginnings will visit Early Learning Centres around the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to screen four year old children's health and development needs.
Understanding your four year old child's health and development
From birth to age five, how your child plays, learns, speaks and moves are important clues about how they are growing and developing. Have a look at the NSW Health and Development website to find out more.
Your child's Blue Book uses different milestones checklists at each age to help families understand different skills for different ages. To understand the skills for four year old's please see the Centre for Disease Control website to find out more.
To give your child the best start in life, your child should get all of the important health and development checks at:
- 1 to 4 weeks old
- 6 to 8 weeks old
- 6 months old
- 12 months old
- 18 months old
- 2 years old
- 3 years old
- 4 years old
These checks can be done at a Child and Family Health Centre by a family nurse. The four year old screen is now also being offered in your child's Early Learning Centre by the Brighter Beginnings Team. These are free services.
A.B.C Connect with me: help your child thrive from pregnancy to five
The time from pregnancy until your child starts school has a life-long effect. ABC Connect with me: helping your child thrive from pregnancy to five is a group of resources, including educational videos created with local Illawarra Shoalhaven local families and businesses, designed to help your child thrive from pregnancy to five years old.
Click here to learn more.