School Entry Health and Wellbeing Assessments

Health assessment in the first year of school:

• A health assessment is offered to children in the first year of school through the distribution of the School Entrant Health Questionnaire (SEHQ)
• The school provides parent/carers with the SEHQ which contains a range of questions about their child’s health history, wellbeing and family circumstances
• The SEHQ also provides the opportunity for parents/carers to express any concerns that they may have about their child
• Parents/carers provide written consent in the SEHQ for the nurse to undertake further assessment of their child if required.

The completed SEHQ provides important information about a child’s health and wellbeing so that the nurse can make an effective health assessment. If a child needs further health assessment, such as a vision or hearing test, the nurse will see the child at the school.

If the nurse has concerns about a child’s health after assessing the SEHQ and/or child, the nurse will make contact with the parent/carer. The nurse will provide advice/information based on the child’s needs and may also suggest referring the child to another health professional or agency.

With parent/carer permission assessment results may be shared with relevant staff at the school e.g. the teacher, principal or student support officers, to provide children with appropriate ongoing support in the school environment.

For more information about health assessments for primary school age children see: Primary School Nursing Health Assessments (PDF - 161Kb)