For Whānau

My child is coming in for a Gateway Assessment.

What can I expect?

Before the Gateway Assessment

The Gateway Team will have asked for information about your child from any health services you may have seen e.g. GP, plunket nurse, the hospital.

The Gateway Team will ask for information about your education from your child’s school, kohanga or pre-school.

If you also gave consent for your medical records to be checked – the Gateway Team will check your medical records to see if you have any health issues which could be impacting your child in some way.

We aim to have as much information as possible before the appointment, if there is important information we have missed you can always let us know.

At the Gateway Assessment

At the Gateway clinic you will meet some of our clinical team including a doctor, nurse specialist, and sometimes a psychologist. Your child’s Oranga Tamariki social worker will be invited to support you, and you are welcome to bring any other support persons on the day.

You can ask questions and share information at any time. You will have time to tell the team what you think about your child’s health and education, they will listen to what you say. What you say is very important to us, you know your child and your family health history. The doctor or nurse will check your child’s health. This may include things like a hearing and eye test, listening to their heart and lungs, looking at their skin, and offering immunisations if they need them.

After the Gateway Assessment

The Gateway team will write a Gateway health report. With the help of other health professionals and community services, they will make suggestions about things that might help your child’s health and education if needed. They might make referrals if your child needs them, to services like a hearing clinic. Your child’s Oranga Tamariki social worker will share the recommendations from the report with you. Your opinion matters every step of the way.

Gateway

The Gateway health team do the Gateway assessment. They’ll look for any health needs your child might have and check things like hearing and eyesight. They’ll also ask about your child’s diet and how they’re feeling generally.

It’s really helpful if you can be there with the social worker to support your child, ask and answer any questions the Gateway health professional might have.

If your child is living away from home, their caregiver might be there as well, they can share information about what is happening for your child currently. You hold important information about your child and whaanau health, so even if they aren’t with you day to day, you are an important part of this koorero.