📒Immunisation and Disease Prevention Policy (QA2) (video needed)

National Quality Standard (NQS) - Quality Area 2: Children's Health and Safety

Implementation

• The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule can be accessed and downloaded from  http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/
• Department of Health, Victoria Immunisation Program
  http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/
  Telephone - 1300 882 008
  
  

Immunisation Records

Parents who wish to enrol their child are required to provide a copy of a current Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) Immunisation History Statement not more than 2 months old as at the date the child first attends the service which shows that the child’s immunisations are up to date in line with the National Immunisation Schedule. Note Immunisation History Statements can show immunisations are up to date while also recording medical exemptions or catch up vaccines. 

AIR Immunisation History Statements are available on the Department of Human Services website http://www.humanservices.gov.au/ . The AIR can be contacted on 1800 653 809 or email air@humanservices.gov.au

The service may enrol the following children without proof they are fully immunised under a grace period. The families of these children must take action to fully vaccinate their children, and provide proof of immunisation status within 16 weeks of the child’s first attendance at the service:

• children evacuated from their place of residence due to an emergency (eg bushfire)
• children in emergency care within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
• children in the care of an adult who is not their parent due to exceptional circumstances
• Indigenous children
• children whose parents hold a health care card, pensioner concession card, Veteran’s Affairs Gold or White card
• children from multiple births of triplets or more
• other circumstances specified in the guidelines made by the Secretary to the Department of Health and Human Services

 If evidence of immunisation status is not provided within 16 weeks of the child’s first attendance at the service, the child’s enrolment at the service may be cancelled.  We will assist families with information about accessing immunisations and obtain required documentation.

Records

The Nominated Supervisor will ensure there is a record (eg register) of the immunisation status of each child and that supporting evidence (eg AIR statements) are maintained.

If requested, our Service will provide a copy of the record and certificates kept for a child to:

• the parent of the child so they can enrol the child at another education and care Service or
• the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor of another Service at which the child may enrol.

Information about each child will be kept for three years from the date a child last attends the service.

Families must provide the Service with an updated copy of their child’s immunisation record when the child receives a vaccine which is on the National or State immunisation schedule. We will regularly remind parents to do this via Administration posts, emails or letters.

Catering for Children with Overseas Immunisation Records

Overseas immunisation records will not be accepted. They often differ from the schedule recommended in Australia and a child may require extra vaccinations to be up to date with the Australian schedule. Children vaccinated overseas must attend an immunisation provider (eg doctor) to have their overseas record assessed and be offered appropriate immunisations. The Provider will complete an Immunisation History Form which should be provided to the Service. A copy of the AIR Immunisation History Statement should also be provided to the service when it is received by families. Parents are responsible for having their child’s overseas immunisation record transcribed onto the AIR. 

Exclusion Periods

Any child that is not fully immunised may be excluded for a period of time if there is a case of a vaccine-preventable disease at the service, or if the child has been in contact with someone outside the Service who has a vaccine-preventable disease. We will consider the Exclusion Periods recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council. 

It is the responsibility of families to inform the Service that their child has come into contact with someone with a vaccine-preventable or infectious disease.

Parents are responsible for payment of fees while their child is excluded.

Immunisations for Educators and Staff

It is important that educators remain up to date with their vaccinations in order to protect themselves as well as children in their care. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommend that educators should be immunised against:

• Hepatitis A
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Educators born during or since 1966 who do not have vaccination records of two doses of MMR, or do not have antibodies for rubella, require vaccination

• Varicella if they have not previously been infected with chickenpox
• Pertussis (whooping cough). An adult booster dose is especially important for those educators caring for the youngest children who are not fully vaccinated
• Influenza (annually)
• Hepatitis B if caring for unimmunised children with intellectual disabilities (although the risk is low).

The Nominated Supervisor will:

• regularly provide educators and staff with information about diseases that can be prevented by immunisation through in-service training sessions, fact sheets and the Staying Healthy in Childcare publication 
• regularly advise educators and staff that some infectious diseases may injure an unborn child if the mother is infected while pregnant through in-service training sessions, fact sheets and the Staying Healthy in Childcare publication. These infections include chickenpox, cytomegalovirus and rubella (German measles) 
• ask new employees to confirm in writing that we have provided this information during their induction. 
• strongly encourage all non-immune staff to be vaccinated  
• advise female educators/staff who are not fully immunised to consider doing so before getting pregnant
• advise pregnant educators and staff to review the Staying Healthy in Childcare publication and consult their medical practitioner to consider the risks of continuing to work at the service
• ensure pregnant educators and staff follow good infection control and hygiene procedures
• consider restricting pregnant educators and staff to working only with toilet trained children, if medically necessary
• exclude all non-immune (unvaccinated) educators and staff for the periods outlined under  Exclusion Periods during an outbreak of an infectious disease or until they determine it is safe for the educator to return

Immunisation Related Payments for Parents - Child Care Subsidy

Families are eligible for Child care Subsidy if their child is fully immunised, on an approved catch-up schedule or has an approved exemption from immunisation. Approved exemptions include a general practitioner who has certified the child can’t receive one or more vaccine(s) for medical reasons or the child has natural immunity, but do not include conscientious objection.

This initiative reminds parents about the importance of immunising their children at each of the milestones. Further information is available at http://www.humanservices.gov.au/