Young people
- School Immunisation Program
- Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination Program
- Complete the consent card
- Having the vaccination
- My child missed the school immunisation
- Age of consent for vaccinations
- Other recommended vaccines
- More information
School Immunisation Program
The Queensland School Immunisation Program allows Year 7 and 10 students to be vaccinated through their school for free. If your child is immunised by your doctor, the vaccine will be free but you may be charged a consultation fee.
Vaccines are also funded for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 14 who are being home schooled or attending special school.
Year 7 students are offered vaccinations against:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV): 3 doses—0, 2 and 6 months
- Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) : 1 dose
This age group requires these vaccinations because:
- they need a booster dose for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough)
- some immunisations need to be given in early adolescence (human papillomavirus) because the immune response is better at this age for this vaccine.
In 2017, Year 10 students will also be offered vaccination against meningococcal ACWY strains.
Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination Program
The Queensland Government is offering free meningococcal ACWY vaccination to:
- all Year 10 students through the School Immunisation Program in 2017
- people aged 15 to 19 years through their doctor or immunisation provider from June 2017 until May 2018. They may be charged a consultation fee.
Meningococcal disease is a severe infection that occurs when meningococcal bacteria invade the body from the throat or nose.
The main strains that cause meningococcal disease are A, B, C, W and Y. In Queensland during 2016, there was a rise in the numbers of meningococcal W and meningococcal Y cases.
Some of the highest rates of meningococcal carriage occur among 15 to 19 year olds. This age group can transmit the meningococcal bacteria to people who are at increased risk of infection, including young children.
By decreasing the proportion of people carrying the bacteria in their nose and throat, the program protects young people immediately and the wider community over time.
More information on the Meningococcoal ACWY Vaccination Program is available.
Complete the consent card
Before the school visit, your child will be given a consent pack that contains an information sheet with details about the disease, benefits of immunisation and any common side effects and a vaccination consent card.
Read the information sheet, sign the consent card indicating whether you wish your child to be vaccinated, and return it to the school. Only students with a completed and signed consent card on the day of the school immunisation clinic will be vaccinated.
If you do not return a consent card or the card is incomplete, you may be contacted by the immunisation provider to check if you want your child to be vaccinated.
Year 7 (HPV, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis):
Year 10 (meningococcal ACWY vaccine):
I don't want my child vaccinated
If you do not want your child to be vaccinated through the school program:
- complete and sign the 'No to Vaccination' section of the consent card
- indicate why your child is not receiving vaccinations through the school program
- return the consent card to the school.
Having the vaccination
A qualified team will visit your child's school to give the immunisations.
To ensure immunisation is appropriate, your child will be asked if they are medically well, have any severe allergies, or are pregnant.
After the immunisation, your child is observed in an area close to the team for at least 15 minutes. Your child will receive a Record of Vaccination Card to take home. Keep this with your child's health records so you know which vaccines they have received.
My child missed the school immunisation
If your child misses their school immunisation, they can be vaccinated:
- at a catch-up school immunisation clinic (check with the immunisation service provider)
- at a free community immunisation clinic (if offered by your local council or immunisation service provider)
- by your doctor before the end of the following year for HPV, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and before the end of May 2018 for meningococcal ACWY.
The vaccine will be free, however you may be charged a consultation fee by your doctor or immunisation provider.
It is important to have your child vaccinated in the same year the vaccine is offered in the school program.
Age of consent for vaccinations
In Queensland, a child can consent to a vaccination if they have the capacity to give or withhold consent. The vaccine service provider will use their professional judgement to assess whether your child has the capacity to give their own consent for vaccination.
Generally, someone aged 15 years or older would be expected to have the maturity, intelligence and understanding to fully understand the treatment and to give their valid and informed consent.
More about how the vaccine services provider will assess your child for consent
Other recommended vaccines
All children should receive 1 dose of chickenpox vaccine.
If your child has not previously received the chickenpox vaccine, they can have the vaccine for free from your GP or community immunisation provider.
Your child does not need this vaccine if they have already been vaccinated with the chickenpox vaccine, or they have had chickenpox.
More information
- Call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)
- Make an appointment with your doctor
