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Five free child health nurse checks for every WA child, from birth to age 3

Every child in Western Australia gets five free appointments with a community child health nurse: at 0 to 14 days, 8 weeks, 4 months, 12 months and 2 years. What happens at each one, how to book in Perth or country WA, and the free parenting groups that come with it.

A child health nurse kneels beside a baby scale, smiling at a mother and father with their happy baby on the mother's lap in a bright clinic room

You come home from hospital with a new baby and a bag of paperwork. Somewhere in that bag is a small purple book. It is worth more than it looks: it is your child's ticket to five free visits with a nurse who knows babies, checks how yours is growing, and asks how you are going.

Every child in Western Australia gets these visits. They cost nothing, and you don't need a referral.

Book a free child health appointment

What it is

Community child health nurses are nurses trained in child and family health. In Perth they work for the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS); in the country, for the WA Country Health Service (WACHS). Both are part of WA Health.

The nurse sees you at home, at a child health centre or at another community venue. There are over 100 child health centres across Perth, and more in country towns.

The five visits

The nurse recommends a visit when your child is:

  1. 0 to 14 days old. Usually at home. The nurse rings you soon after the birth to set it up.
  2. 8 weeks.
  3. 4 months.
  4. 12 months (any time until 18 months).
  5. 2 years (any time until they turn 3).

Your child is then offered a School Entry Health Assessment when they start school.

These are the minimum, not the limit. You can see or ring your nurse any other time you are worried or have a question, and ask for extra appointments if you need them.

What happens at each one

At every visit the nurse asks how you are feeling and what you want to talk about. Then they check your child: weight and length, skin, eyes and vision, hearing, hips, head shape, and later teeth and walking. From 4 months they look at talking and listening, movement, problem solving and how your child gets on with people.

They also talk through what matters at that age: feeding, sleep and settling, crying, play, tummy time, solids, behaviour, screen time and immunisations.

Safety is on the list at four of the five visits. It's a good time to ask the questions you've been saving up: is this cot safe, when do we need a stair gate, what about the pool next door. If you want ideas to bring along, our room-by-room checklist is a good start.

You leave with a free magazine for your child's next stage, and, if something needs a closer look, a referral to the right service.

What it costs

Nothing. Every visit, every group below, is free. If English isn't your first language, you can ask for a free telephone interpreter.

How to book, step by step

In Perth:

  1. Just had your baby? Wait for the call. The nurse usually rings to book the first visit before your baby is 14 days old.
  2. For the next visit, or if you've missed one, register online, or call 1300 749 869, 8.30am to 5pm weekdays.
  3. Moved house, need to reschedule or cancel? Same number.
  4. A quick question between visits? Most centres run drop-in sessions for children aged 4 and under. Ring your local centre to find out when.

In country WA:

  1. Your local nurse contacts you soon after the birth; the first visit is probably at home, before your baby is 14 days old.
  2. Your nurse's contact details are printed at the front of your Purple Book.
  3. No appointment, or just moved? Contact your nearest child health centre, listed on the WACHS child health page.
  4. Far from a centre? The free Virtual Child Health Service does the 1 and 2 year checks by video call, plus appointments for worries and parenting support. Call 0400 339 827.

Free parenting groups

Your nurse will tell you what runs near you. In Perth, CAHS lists:

In the country, the Virtual Child Health Service runs online versions: Early Parent Group, Solid Start, Let's Sleep, Terrific Toddlers and Toilet Skills for Kindy.

Keep the Purple Book handy

The Purple Book is your child's health record. The nurse writes in it at every visit, and so can you: family history, illnesses, injuries, emergency contacts. Bring it to every appointment. Lost it? Your child health centre can give you a new one.

When to call someone else

The child health nurse is not an emergency service.

Book a free child health appointment

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