No Jab No Play

No Jab No Play is a Victorian State Government legislation to help protect children from serious and possibly life-threatening illnesses.

The legislation came into effect from 1 January 2016.

Under the new law, all children must be fully vaccinated to be enrolled in childcare and kindergarten.

Only children who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons will be able to be exempt from No Jab No Play. A GP (General Practitioner) or other medical doctor would need to decide this.

'Conscientious objection' will not be an exemption.

The Importance of Vaccinations

Vaccinations save lives. The current immunisation rate for children under five years of age is around 92 per cent; however immunisation coverage of 95 per cent is necessary to stop the spread of particularly infectious diseases, such as measles.

Recent outbreaks of measles both here and overseas have highlighted the need for higher immunisation coverage.

Immunisation not only protects those people who have been vaccinated, it also protects those in our community who may be unable to receive vaccines themselves, by reducing the occurrence and spread of disease.

Required Immunisations for Child Care and Kindergarten

By four years of age, children should be immunised against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.

For more information about the immunisation schedule, visit the Victorian Government's website.

Conscientious Objection Exemption Removed

The legislation ensures as many children as possible are vaccinated against serious and possibly life-threatening illnesses.

The science and medical expert advice is clear; immunisation is critical to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

The choice of one parent not to vaccinate their child puts other children at risk of serious or potentially life-threatening illnesses.

Accessing Immunisations

There are some children in the community whose families face difficulties accessing immunisations.

Families who are eligible for kindergarten grants will be eligible for extra time (16 weeks) to bring their children’s immunisations up-to-date. These children will be able to attend the childcare/kindergarten service during the grace period.

The Government will ensure that early childhood services provide families of children who aren't up-to-date with their immunisations with support and information about where they can access vaccinations.

Enrolling in Child Care and Kindergarten

Parents must make sure their child’s vaccinations are up-to-date.