Vic services reminded about ‘grace period’ obligations for ‘No Jab, No Play’ rules

The Victorian Department of Education has encouraged services, particularly those in receipt of kindergarten funding, to make a concerted effort to ensure that immunisation status/documentation does not act as a barrier to prevent vulnerable children from accessing kindergarten. 

 

Children experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage who meet specific criteria are eligible to enrol in a service under a ‘support period’ (also known as the ‘grace period’) without proof of up-to-date immunisation.  

 

A support period eligibility assessment form is available to help services determine the criteria for a child to be considered vulnerable or disadvantaged. 

 

During the 16-week ‘support period’ (also known as the ‘grace period’), services are required to take reasonable steps to assist the parent/carer in obtaining the required immunisation history statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). 

 

This may include: 

 

• providing information to parents/carers about where they can access immunisation services or how to obtain an immunisation history statement 
• referring parents for health advice or to appropriate specialist support services for families experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage 
• providing appropriate resources to parents/carers. 

 

After a child’s enrolment has been confirmed, the ‘No Jab, No Play’ legislation does not require services to exclude enrolled children who are not up-to-date with their immunisations, except in the circumstance of an outbreak of infectious disease at the service. 

 

What to do if a parent/carer fails to comply 

 

• Privately remind the parent of their obligation to maintain up-to-date immunisation information for their child at the service. 
• Use the immunisation evidence request decision aid flow chart to see which pathway to follow when issuing requests to parents/carers to provide evidence of up-to-date immunisation. 
• Use the follow-up immunisation evidence request text and adapt it when providing follow-up reminders to parents/carers that show that the information you have is outdated.

 

The Victorian Department of Education and Training recommends that services consider the child’s circumstances when determining their response to this situation. The legislation does not require that the child be excluded from attending the service except in the circumstance of an infectious disease outbreak as it is intended to encourage immunisation, not prevent attendance at early childhood education and care services. 

 

To read the full After enrolment – ‘No Jab, No Play’ requirements,please see here.