Immunisatin and Disease Preventin Plicy Quality Area 2: Children s Health and Safety 2.1 Each child s health is prmted 2.1.4 Steps are taken t cntrl the spread f infectius diseases and t manage injuries and illness, in accrdance with recgnised guidelines. 2.3.2 Every reasnable precautin.is taken t prtect children frm harm and hazard likely t cause injury. Natinal Regulatins 77 Health, Hygiene and Safe Fd Practices 88 Infectius Diseases 90 Medical Cnditins Plicy 91 Medical Cnditins plicy t be prvided t parents 162 Health Infrmatin t be kept in enrlment frm Aim T aim f this plicy is t prtect individuals and the cmmunity by reducing the spread f immune preventable diseases. Immunisatin is a simple, safe and effective way f prtecting individuals against harmful diseases befre they cme int cntact with them in the cmmunity. Implementatin In an effrt t imprve childhd immunisatin rates, the Victrian Gvernment has amended the Public Health and Well Being ACT 2008. The amendment is the N Jab, N Play law. This means that an early childhd educatin and care service such as Little Scters cannt cnfirm the enrlment f a child unless the parent/carer has prvided dcumentatin that shws that the child: Is fully vaccinated fr their age, r: Is n a recgnised catch up schedule if their child has fallen behind with their vaccinatins; r Has a medical reasn nt t be vaccinated. *Cnscientius bjectins t vaccinatin are nt a valid reasn fr exemptin The Natinal Immunisatin Prgram (NIP) Schedule can be accessed and dwnladed frm http://www.immunise.health.gv.au/ Department f Health, Victria Immunisatin Prgram http://www.health.vic.gv.au/immunisatin/ Telephne - 1300 882 008 N Jab, N Play https://www2.health.vic.gv.au/public- health/immunisatin/vaccinatin- children- adlescents/n- jab- n- play 1
Immunisatin Immunisatin is cmpulsry fr attendance at Little Scters (unless an apprved medical exemptin has been granted by the ACIR. If a child s immunisatin recrd is nt prvided upn enrlment that child will be unable t attend the centre. T be fully immunised yur child needs t have received all vaccines recmmended fr their age as part f the Natinal Immunisatin Prgram (NIP). Hmepathic immunisatin is nt recgnised. If a child is nt fully immunised and has been in cntact with smene with a vaccine preventable disease utside f the service, they may need t be excluded frm the service fr a perid f time. It is the respnsibility f families t infrm the service that their child has cme int cntact with smene with a vaccine preventable r infectius disease. Immunisatin Recrds Parents wh wish t enrl their child are required t prvide evidence f their child s immunisatin recrd at the time f enrlment. This infrmatin allws children at risk f catching a vaccine preventable disease t be identified if there is a case f that disease at the service. Acceptable immunisatin recrds are An Immunisatin Histry Statement prvided by the Australian Childhd Immunisatin Register (ACIR) ACIR Medical Cntraindicatin Frm Immunisatin Status Certificate frm an Immunisatin Prvider (must have due date f next immunisatin) The ACIR maintains immunisatin recrds fr children up until their seventh birthday. Yu can btain an ACIR Immunisatin Histry Statement fr yur child by calling 1800 653 809. The Nminated Supervisr will ensure recrds are kept f the immunisatin status f each child. Parents/guardians must prvide the Service with an updated cpy f their child s immunisatin recrd when the child receives a vaccine which is n the Natinal r State immunisatin schedule. We will regularly remind parents t d this via newsletters, emails r letters. The service must be able t quickly access immunisatin recrds and determine wh has nt been immunised. If there is a case f a vaccine preventable disease, and yur child has nt been fully immunised (with an apprved exemptin) fr that disease, they may be excluded frm childcare fr a perid f time. ACIR Immunisatin Histry Statement Parents must btain a cpy f their child s Histry statement issued by the ACIR which will shw that the child is up t date with their immunisatins. Parents can request a cpy frm the ACIR at any time thrugh: 2
Medicare Online accunts r the Express Plus Medicare Mbile App By requesting a statement be psted in the mail At a lcal Medicare Service Centre By calling the Immunisatin register n 1800 653 809. Medical Cntraindicatin t Vaccines A medical dctr determines if a child has a medical reasn (fr example an anaphylactic reactin t a vaccine ingredient) fr nt receiving specific vaccine(s). This is knwn as a medical cntraindicatin. A dctr cmpletes, signs and supplies an ACIR Medical Cntraindicatin Frm t the ACIR. The ACIR updates the child s recrds, and n request frm the parent/carer, will issue an Immunisatin Histry Statement that shws which vaccine(s) the child is unable t receive and indicates the due date fr ther vaccinatins the child is able t receive. This statement can be prvided t yur service as prf f immunisatin status fr the purpse f enrlment. Other Acceptable Dcumentatin Whilst the ACIR Immunisatin Histry Statement is the preferred dcumentatin in the cases where time is an issue an apprved Immunisatin prvider (a GP r immunisatin nurse) can prvide an immunisatin certificate that can be used t prve a child s immunisatin status. The issue is whether r nt the child has had their immunisatins all frm ne prvider i.e. ne dctr r several different places the parent wuld then need t get certificates frm all places t cver all the required immunisatin. In rder t be cnsidered as acceptable as an Immunisatin Status Certificate fr the purpse f enrlment at Little Scters the dcument(s) need t: Include the child s full name, date f birth and address List vaccines the child has received and when the vaccine was given (can be an attachment) Shw the date f the child s next due vaccine OR include a statement saying the child has cmpleted all their childhd vaccinatins If relevant, list any vaccines the child cannt receive fr medical reasns Include the immunisatin prvider s name, rganisatin name and Medicare prvider number r Australian Childhd Immunisatin Register number Be signed and dated by the immunisatin prvider. Catering fr Children with Overseas Immunisatin Recrds Overseas immunisatin schedules ften differ frm the schedule recmmended in Australia and a child may require extra vaccinatins t be up t date with the Australian schedule. Parents are respnsible fr having their child s verseas immunisatin recrd transcribed nt the Australian Childhd Immunisatin Register (ACIR), if yur child is less than seven years f age. 3
Immunisatins fr Educatrs and Staff It is imprtant that educatrs remain up t date with their vaccinatins in rder t prtect themselves as well as children in their care. The Natinal Health and Medical Research Cuncil (NHMRC) recmmend that educatrs shuld be immunised against - Hepatitis A Measles- Mumps- Rubella (MMR) Educatrs brn during r since 1966 wh d nt have vaccinatin recrds f tw dses f MMR, r d nt have antibdies fr rubella, require vaccinatin Varicella if they have nt previusly been infected with chickenpx Pertussis (whping cugh). An adult bster dse is especially imprtant fr thse educatrs caring fr the yungest children wh are nt fully vaccinated Influenza (annually) Hepatitis B if caring fr unimmunised children with intellectual disabilities (althugh the risk is lw). The Nminated Supervisr will: regularly prvide educatrs and staff with infrmatin abut diseases that can be prevented by immunisatin thrugh in- service training sessins, fact sheets and the Staying Healthy in Childcare publicatin regularly advise educatrs and staff that sme infectius diseases may injure an unbrn child if the mther is infected while pregnant thrugh in- service training sessins, fact sheets and the Staying Healthy in Childcare publicatin. These infectins include chickenpx, cytmegalvirus and rubella (German measles) ask new emplyees t cnfirm in writing that we have prvided this infrmatin during their inductin. strngly encurage all nn- immune staff t be vaccinated advise pregnant educatrs and staff t review the Staying Healthy in Childcare publicatin and cnsult their medical practitiner t cnsider the risks f cntinuing t wrk at the service ensure pregnant educatrs and staff fllw gd infectin cntrl and hygiene prcedures exclude all nn- immune (unvaccinated) educatrs and staff fr the perids utlined under Exclusin Perids during an utbreak f an infectius disease r until they determine it is safe fr the educatr t return 4
Immunisatin Related Payments fr Parents - Child Care Benefit The benefit applies t children wh are fully immunised r have an apprved exemptin frm immunisatin. This initiative ensures parents are reminded f the imprtance f immunising their children at each f the milestnes. Fr parents t receive CCB withut their child being fully immunised their dctr r immunisatin prvider needs t certify that the child: is n a catch- up immunisatin schedule r has an apprved exemptin frm the immunisatin requirements. Infrmatin n hw a child s immunisatin status affects payments made t a family, and mre infrmatin n exemptins is available n the fllwing website http://www.humanservices.gv.au/crprate/publicatins- and- resurces/budget/1516/measures/families/002286 Parents are respnsible fr payment f fees while their child is excluded under all circumstances. Surce Educatin and Care Services Natinal Regulatins 2011 Natinal Quality Standard Childcare Centre Desktp www.childcarecentredesktp.cm.au Early Years Learning Framewrk Department f Health and Ageing, Natinal Immunisatin Prgram Schedule Medicare Australia Department f Human Services N Jab N Pay Health Victria N Jab N Play Department f Human Services Australian Childhd Immunisatin Register Staying Healthy in Childcare 5 th editin http://www.nhmrc.gv.au/guidelines- publicatins/ch43 Review This plicy will be reviewed every 2 years and will be cnducted by Management, Emplyees, Families and Interested Parties. Last Reviewed Next Review Date 30.06.2016 30.06.2018 5