• Skip to main content
  • Skip to navigation
  • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
Government of Western Australia Crest
Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia Crest

Additional Menu

  • Accessibility
  • Contact us
Go to WA Government search
  • About us
    • About CAHS
    • Health Service Board
      • Frequently asked questions
    • Executive team
    • Our performance
    • Annual Reports
    • Strategies and plans
    • Conduct standards
      • Public Interest Disclosure
      • Reporting misconduct
    • Contact us
  • Our services
    • Neonatology
      • Neonatal Units
      • Newborn Emergency Transport Service
      • The Perron Rotary Express Milk (PREM) Bank
      • Centre for Neonatal Research and Education
      • Neonatal Follow up Program
      • Neonatology clinical guidelines
      • NETS WA clinical guidelines
      • Compliments and complaints
      • Neonatology Resources
      • Contact us
    • Community Health
      • Aboriginal Health
      • Child Health
      • Child Development Service
      • Immunisation
      • Refugee Health
      • School Health
      • Bedwetting program
      • Compliments and complaints
      • Contact us
    • Mental Health
      • About us
      • Get help
      • Your healthcare rights
      • CAMHS Crisis Connect
      • Community CAMHS
      • Specialist services and day programs
      • Hospital services
      • Aboriginal Mental Health
      • For families and young people
      • Compliments and complaints
      • Contact us
    • Perth Children's Hospital
    • Children's Hospice Project
    • Community Health Hubs
  • For families and carers
    • COVID-19
      • Visiting CAHS sites
      • COVID-19 and children
      • Vaccination
      • Resources
    • Accessing or updating medical records
    • Being involved in your child's care
      • Your healthcare rights
      • Informed consent
      • Shared decision making
    • Consumer engagement
      • Become a consumer representative
      • Consumer groups and committees
      • Consumer Engagement Strategy
    • Compliments and complaints
      • Feedback form
      • Stars of CAHS Awards
    • Safety and quality of care
      • Preventing infections
      • Patient safety
      • Protecting the vulnerable
      • Mental health
      • Listening and communicating with our consumers
    • QRious Health Hub for young people
    • Resources
    • Telehealth
  • For health professionals
    • Work with us
      • Careers at CAHS
      • Our vacancies
      • Why work for us?
    • Resources
      • Community Health Clinical Nursing Manual
      • Aboriginal child health resources
      • CAHS Clinical Disclaimer
      • Neonatology guidelines
      • Neonatology Postnatal Ward guidelines
      • Newborn Emergency Transport Service WA guidelines
      • Schools and Child Care
    • CAHS Medical Library
    • Statewide Protection of Children Coordination Unit
    • Referrals to our services
      • Community Health
      • Mental Health
      • Newborn Emergency Transport Service
  • Research
    • For researchers
      • Things you need to know
      • Ethics and governance approval
      • Support for researchers
      • Research funding opportunities
      • Research suites at Perth Children's Hospital
      • Research events, training and meetings
      • Research Education Program
    • For families
    • Featured projects
      • ACORN project
      • Early Moves
      • ESCALATION
      • Food Allergy Clinical Research Program
      • Screening for Familial Hypercholesterolemia
      • SPECIAL kids study
    • Clinical research overview
    • COVID-19 and research processes
      • COVID-19 Research Ethics and Governance Processes
    • Our research partners
  1. Home
  2. For families and carers
  3. Resources
  4. Library
  5. Community Health Nurses working with primary schools

Community Health Nurses working with primary schools

Community Health Nurses working with primary schools

Who are the community health nurses? 

School health services are delivered by community health nurses (nurses) in public primary schools across Western Australia. Nurses, who deliver school health services, are employed by WA Country Health Service or Child and Adolescent Health Service (in metropolitan Perth).

Most families will have had contact with these health services from birth (through child health services).  Nurses provide support for families until their child turns 18 years of age. Nurses work with children, families and within each school they visit.

Working with children at school

The School Entry Health Assessment (SEHA) will be offered to all children who are of school entry age.  For the majority, this will be in kindergarten, however it could be done after school enrolment has occurred and prior to commencement of kindy. For those children who did not attend kindy, the SEHA will be offered in pre-primary. 

The SEHA aims to detect problems with hearing, vision, oral health, growth, development, and any other health and wellbeing issues which are of concern for parents or teachers. SEHA’s are conducted throughout the school year. Nurses will prioritise assessments after reviewing any concerns noted on the parent consent form and discussion with class teachers.

If a parent or teacher has a concern regarding development, health or wellbeing for a child that will not be receiving a SEHA they can contact the nurse. Relevant age-appropriate assessments such as hearing, vision and growth can be undertaken with parental consent.

Nurses also conduct Children in Care assessments for children in the care of Department of Communities. These assessments are prioritised once a request has been received by the nurse from the Department of Communities.

Working with families

Nurses recognise that schools manage most health needs for their students. Nurses can assist, if required, in supporting families and school staff with health care planning and management for children with complex and/or chronic conditions.

Nurses are aware of and, have connections with, extended services in the community and can be a contact point and advocate for families to provide them with health information and access to parenting program information as needed.

Nurses also provide whole of school information for individuals and families about health issues through the classroom, school newsletter and school website.

Working with the school

Nurses can provide advice and support to the school around immunisation surveillance and health promotion activities in the school. 

At the request of a teacher, and if time allows, a nurse may contribute specialist knowledge in curriculum areas. The teacher is responsible for session planning and overall content and will always be present in the classroom when the nurse is involved.

Nurses can support schools to develop systems for first aid and emergency health care. This may include helping school staff prepare to care for children with anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy. 

Disclaimer

This publication is for general education and information purposes. Contact a qualified healthcare professional for any medical advice needed. 

© State of Western Australia, Child and Adolescent Health Service

Produced by: Community Health
Reference:
Last reviewed: 2018


This document can be made available in alternative formats on request for a person with a disability.

Last Updated: 18/06/2021
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Footer menu

  • wa.gov.au
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Brought to you by the Department of Health, Western Australia

© Government of Western Australia 2018 to