No Jab No Play legislation passes in SA, excluding unvaccinated children from ECEC

Legislation underpinning the No Jab No Play policy passed through South Australian parliament earlier this week, meaning that children up to the age of six years will be excluded from early learning services from August unless they are fully vaccinated. 

Stephen Wade, Health and Wellbeing Minister for the State, said that the lack of a vaccine to protect against the COVID-19 event has highlighted “just how important it is to vaccinate against dangerous diseases we can prevent.” 

When immunisation rates fall, he continued, it leaves the State facing “the very real possibility of a significant outbreak of deadly, preventable disease” something which is preventable through high levels of immunisation. 

“The simple fact is too many South Australian families shun vaccination, putting their children and other family’s children who cannot be vaccinated at greater risk of contracting a range of deadly diseases” Mr Wade said. 

“The message from the State Government is crystal clear – get your kids fully immunised or they will not be admitted to early learning centres. We are not willing to put your child, other children, staff and the wider community at risk” he added. 

The legislative changes support earlier measures by the Government which required parents to provide approved immunisation records to childcare centres, family day care, pre-schools, kindergartens and early learning centres upon enrolment, and at other specific ages throughout the child’s attendance at the service.

The State Government will now embark on “an extensive public communication campaign” to ensure parents are fully aware of the changes before they come into force.

Medical exemptions can be granted. More information about the legislative changes may be found here.