Brighter Beginnings: Giving local preschoolers the best start
Wednesday, 15 October 2025 / Albury Wodonga Health
Albury Wodonga Health staff Jill Pearson and Amelia McGrath are bringing Brighter Beginnings to local NSW preschools, providing free four-year-old health and development checks to help kids thrive.
Instead of waiting for families to come into hospital or a clinic, Jill, a paediatric nurse with 20 years’ experience on the children’s ward, and Amelia, an occupational therapist with 13 years’ experience in paediatrics, are taking health care out into preschools and day care centres as part of the Brighter Beginnings program.
Brighter Beginnings is a New South Wales Government initiative aiming to provide all children with a full suite of developmental checks before they start school. Almost half of four-year-olds currently miss out on their recommended checks, which can affect everything from behaviour to academic outcomes. By providing checks in preschools, the $111.2 million program ensures children get the right support at the right time.
Child and Family Health Nurses and Allied Health professionals like Jill and Amelia are delivering the checks and linking families with support when needed.
“It’s so important that children have positive experiences with health care early on,” Jill said.
“If they enjoy it, they’re more likely to come back to the doctor in future without fear.”
To help break down barriers, the pair bring along a mascot and hand out certificates. “We make it fun,” said Amelia. “The kids love it – and so do we.”
Spotting needs early, supporting kids sooner
As an OT, Amelia screens children for gross and fine motor skills and other developmental milestones, helping preschools adapt activities to better support kids.
“Knowing where children are developmentally before they start school is so important,” Amelia said. “It means they can get the right help now, before they start school.”
Clinical Nurse Specialist Jill checks each child’s height, weight and oral health, among other checks.
But the Brighter Beginnings team doesn't stop at identifying concerns – they also connect families with ongoing services and support.
“Sometimes the hardest thing is knowing what services are around,” Jill said. “We can help parents get into the right pathway and understand what’s out there to support their child.”
Jill sees the program as a rewarding way to build her community health experience.
“After 20 years on the ward, it’s been a great learning curve to work with families and children in the community,” she said.
Brighter Beginnings is being rolled out across NSW preschools with the AWH team currently running a pilot program.
“We’re really excited to be rolling out this program in local preschools. At the end of the day, it’s about making sure kids can thrive,” Amelia said.