BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Vaccinations are a sticking point for some families, but if you want the government to subsidise your childcare fees, then your little one does need to meet certain immunisation requirements.  

To be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy, your child must be up-to-date with the government's early childhood vaccination schedule or be on an approved catch-up program.  

And though it is possible to get an approved medical exemption in select cases, generally speaking, the ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy applies nationwide, and the government won’t chip in for your childcare fees if you fail to immunise your child. 

Depending on where you live, you may also find that your early learner has to meet certain immunisation requirements to enrol in and attend childcare.  

This is known as ‘No Jab, No Play’, and every state and territory (and sometimes, each childcare service) has its own approach to immunisations for early learners. 

At the enrolment stage, it’s likely you’ll be asked to provide your child’s Australian Immunisation Register immunisation history statement, which you can access through your online Medicare account via myGov. 

And whether you live in Melbourne or Maroochydore, here’s a rundown of the immunisation requirements for childcare services around Australia.

In New South Wales: 

Your child must be fully vaccinated, on an approved catch-up program, or have a medical exemption to attend childcare.  
 
When enrolling, you’ll be asked to provide an immunisation history statement, showing that your child is up-to-date with their scheduled vaccinations.  
 
Alternatively, you’ll need to provide an immunisation history form (certified by an immunisation provider) if your child is on a catch-up schedule; or else provide a GP-certified immunisation medical exemption form if your child has an approved reason for not being vaccinated.  

If you can’t provide the relevant document, or simply don’t want to get your child immunised, then they cannot be enrolled in a childcare centre in NSW.  

And if there’s an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable illness at a service, unimmunised children (on the catch-up program or with an exemption) may be asked to stay at home until the health risk passes.  

In Queensland:  

Immunisation isn’t mandatory, but a childcare service can cancel or refuse your child’s enrolment or attendance if they’re not fully vaccinated, on a catch-up schedule, or medically exempt.  

You’ll need to check what your childcare service’s policy is, and you may be asked to provide an immunisation history statement or a letter from a recognised immunisation provider (like a GP) before your child can enrol in or attend the service.  

If your child is unvaccinated, they may be asked to stay home for a period of time if there’s an outbreak of illness at their service. 

In Victoria: 

The ‘No Jab, No Play’ legislation means that before your child’s enrolment is confirmed at a long day care, kindy, family day care or occasional care service, you must provide an immunisation history statement showing that your child is up-to-date with their immunisations for their age. 

It is possible to have a medical exemption, or for certain children to start childcare without the statement (subject to a 16-week support period), but generally, you need to supply the statement for enrolment, then keep this document up-to-date with your service going forward.  

The ‘No Jab, No Play’ legislation doesn’t require your service to exclude children who aren’t up-to-date with their jabs, unless there’s an outbreak of infectious disease at the service, but services do have to take reasonable steps after enrolment to keep an up-to-date statement for each child.  

In the Australian Capital Territory:  

Immunisation isn’t compulsory. However, you will have to provide a copy of your child’s immunisation record when you enrol them at a childcare centre or preschool, and if your child isn’t immunised, they may have to stay home if there’s an outbreak of a disease at the service.  

In Western Australia: 

You must provide a current immunisation history statement as part of your child’s enrolment documentation at their childcare service or community kindergarten.  
 
It needs to be dated within two months of the date of their enrolment application, and your child won’t be able to enrol in a long day care, family day care, pre-kindergarten or kindergarten unless they’re up-to-date with their immunisations, on an approved catch-up schedule, or have a medical exemption.  

In Tasmania: 

You must provide a written statement showing that your child is up-to-date with all scheduled immunisations if they’re starting childcare.  

In South Australia: 

Your child cannot enrol in or attend an early childhood service unless all immunisation requirements are met.  

You will need to provide your childcare service with a current approved immunisation record (usually an up-to-date immunisation history statement) at the time of enrolment. 

You also have to provide your child’s immunisation record between the ages of:  

• Seven months and nine months 

• 13 months and 15 months 

• 19 months and 21 months, and  

• After your child turns four years and two months, but before they turn four years and eight months.  

Your early learner can go to childcare without being fully immunised if they’re on an approved catch-up schedule or have a medical exemption, but generally speaking, there’s a ‘No Jab, No Play’ policy in SA.  

In the Northern Territory:  

Free vaccinations are recommended for your child from birth to four-years-old, but your child doesn’t necessarily have to be immunised to enrol in and attend childcare.  

The government says it is important for your childcare service to have a copy of your child’s immunisation record to help prevent outbreaks of disease, and some services may require you to provide your child’s immunisation history statement for enrolment.  

Then, if your child isn’t immunised, they may have to stay at home for a while if there’s an outbreak of disease at their childcare service.  

If you’re not sure where you’re up to with your child’s immunisations, you can easily check the Australian Immunisation Register.  

If you see that your child needs to catch up on some jabs for their age bracket, your healthcare provider can help with this. 

And if cost is a worry, then you’ll find that all vaccines linked to family assistance payments (including the Child Care Subsidy) are funded under the National Immunisation Program.  

Getting your child vaccinated really does help to prevent the spread of disease, and with fee relief and possibly childcare enrolment at stake, it’s important to be up-to-date with your little one’s vaccinations.