Information for parents/carers of children enrolled in early childhood education and care services in Victoria
OFFICIAL
No Jab, No Play legislation requires parents/carers to provide evidence that their child has received all the vaccines they need and can confirm enrolment in an early childhood education and service. Following enrolment parents/carers are required to keep this evidence up to date with the service.
What is the early childhood education and care service required to do?
The No Jab No Play legislation obliges early childhood education and care services to prompt parents/carers to provide updated Immunisation History Statements.
Your child’s service will request evidence of up-to-date immunisation twice a year. They will review the immunisation evidence provided to make sure children attending the early childhood education and care service remain up to date with immunisation. A health authority may also review this record in the event of a disease outbreak at the service.
The Victorian Government introduced this requirement to provide an important reminder to parents/carers about immunisation as part of a continued effort to maintain high childhood immunisation rates and protect the community from vaccine-preventable diseases.
What are you required to do?
If your child has received a vaccine while they are attending an early childhood education and care service, you are required to provide your child’s service with an updated Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) .
If you receive a request from the service for the latest Immunisation History Statement, and you have already provided this, you do not need to provide another copy.
What is an Immunisation History Statement?
An Immunisation History Statement from the AIR shows if your child is ‘up to date’, what vaccines your child has received, if vaccines are due in the future, and when. If your child cannot have a vaccine for medical reasons, this will be listed on the statement. All vaccines recorded on the AIR will appear in your child’s Immunisation History Statement.
How do I obtain an Immunisation History Statement?
- myGov <https://my.gov.au/>
- Medicare Express Plus <https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/express-plus-mobile-apps
- Medicare Service Centre < https://findus.servicesaustralia.gov.au/>
- Australian Immunisation Register, free call on 1800 653 809
- Ask your GP/immunisation nurse to print the statement (note, not all immunisation providers can do this).
How do I tell if my child is ‘up to date’?
Your child’s most recent AIR Immunisation History Statement will have a section titled ‘Immunisation status’. If the status is ‘up to date’, then your child has had all the vaccines they need for their age. If this is ‘not up to date’, make an appointment with your child’s immunisation provider.
If your child has completed their childhood vaccinations, the statement will be ‘up to date’ and no vaccines will be listed under the ‘Next due immunisation(s)’ heading.
What if I need help?
Discuss your situation with your child’s early childhood education and care service. Services can provide you with information about enrolment and refer you to immunisation support services.
If you have questions or concerns about immunisation, speak with your doctor or your local immunisation service.
Why is this required?
If there is a disease outbreak at the service, accurate and current evidence of immunisation is needed to identify children at risk (for example, children too young to be fully immunised against a disease) who may need to stay away from the service until it is safe for them to return.
Why immunise?
Immunisation is a proven and safe way to be protected against diseases that cause serious illness and sometimes death. Immunisations are free and protect the vaccinated person and those in the community who cannot be vaccinated by reducing diseases spreading.
When are immunisations due?
The National Immunisation Schedule program provides free vaccinations to children at birth, 2 months, 4, 6, 12 and 18 months of age and 4 years of age.
To find out what immunisations your child needs, see your doctor or local council immunisation service.
More information
Better Health Channel <www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au>
The Victorian Department of Health <https://www.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/immunisation>
The Australian Government Immunisation <https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation>
Health Translations <www.healthtranslations.vic.gov.au> for translated resources