School Vaccination Program: for parents and carers

On this page

1. About the School Vaccination Program​
   
2. ​Translated information about school vaccinations 
   
3. How to give consent for vaccination
4. What vaccines are given and when
5. What to expect after vaccination
6. What to do if your child has a reaction
   
7. What is an adverse event following immunisation ( AEFI)​
   
8. Vaccine safety surveillance​​
   
9. If your child missed their school vaccination
10. If your child has disability
11. If your child attends an Intensive English Centres (IECs)
12. If your child attends distance education or is home-schooled

About the School Vaccination Program

NSW Health works with schools to offer the vaccines recommended and funded for adolescents by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in a school-based vaccination program, including:

• diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, (whooping cough), (dTpa)
• human papillomavirus (HPV)
  
• meningococcal ACWY.

How to give consent for vaccination

To get free vaccinations at school, a parent or guardian must give consent for each vaccine.

Parents and carers can give consent online. Just log in using your Service NSW account—this is the same account you might use to renew your driver’s licence.

To provide online consent you will need:

• ​your Service NSW login details
• Medicare card details for you ​and your child.
  

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, you can still give consent by asking the school for a paper consent form. Once you give consent, it stays active unless you choose to withdraw it.​

To create a Service NSW account, refer to the Service ​NSW​​​​​​​​​​ websi​te.

What vaccines are given and when

Students in secondary schools in 2025 will be offered the following vaccines:

What to expect after vaccination

Some students may experience some mild and temporary side effects following vaccination this includes:

• headache and tiredness for a day or two
• slightly red, itchy or sore arm for a day or two
• a small lump at the injection site. This may last for a few weeks. This usually does not require any treatment.

What to do if your child has a reaction

• If allowed, take paracetamol for pain. Follow the directions on the packaging.
• Put a cold damp cloth on the injection site to relieve tenderness.
• Drink extra fluids.
  

If your child has an unexpected reaction that you are concerned about please contact your doctor or seek medical attention.

For more information refer to Following vaccination - what to expect and what to do.​

What is an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI)?

An adverse event following immunisation (AEFIs) is defined in The Australian Immunisation Handbook as "any untoward medical occurrence that follows immunisation. It does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the vaccine".

AEFIs are notifiable conditions under the NSW Public Health Act (Schedule 1).

All AEFI notifications are required to be reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). In NSW all AEFI notifications should be reported to the local Public Health Unit by calling 1300 066 055. More information is available on the NSW Health webpage Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI)

Vaccine safety surveillance

AusVaxSafety publishes vaccine safety surveillance data through the AusVaxSafety vaccine safety surveillance system.

The Australian Government publishes yearly reports on vaccine safety through Australia-wide annual reports on AEFI surveillance.

Another program, FluTracking complements these efforts by monitoring respiratory illness symptoms in the community to raise awareness about respiratory illness. You can l​earn more and sign up at: FluTracking.​

If your child missed their school vaccination

If gave consent but your child missed their vaccination, you’ll get a notification letting you know they weren’t vaccinated.

Every effort will be made to vaccinate students who have completed consent but missed vaccination throughout the year at subsequent school clinics. Where this is possible, parents will be advised of arrangements for catch-up vaccinations.

If the school immunisation team has capacity, catch-up clinics may be held in Year 8 and Year 11 for students who had consent forms submitted the year before. 

If your child has disability

If your child has a physical or intellectual disability, or both, please read the School vaccination for students with physical and/or intellectual disabilities fact sheet for more information.

To help you and your child plan for vaccination ​​day​ at school you can show your child​ this social story Easy read: I will get vaccines at school, to help explain to them what will happen and what to expect when they get their vaccination at school. 

If your child is enrolled in an Intensive English Centre (IEC)

New migrants (including refugees) attending Intensive English Centres (IECs) may not have received the vaccines that are routinely offered in Australia. Migrant students will be offered vaccines, depending on their age.

Students who miss vaccine doses due to absence on the day of the clinic will be advised to receive any catch-up vaccination at their local GP or pharmacist immuniser.

Translated information about IEC vaccination is available in 28 languages.

All ages

 Adolescents 14 to 19 years

If your child attends distance education or is home-schooled

Students who are enrolled in distance education or who are home-schooled are eligible for free age-appropriate vaccines. Adolescents can access vaccines from their GP, pharmacist immuniser, Aboriginal medical service, community health centre or other immunisation provider. It is important when making the appointment that parents/ guardians inform the receptionist of the reason for their visit and allow at least three working days for the vaccine to be ordered and delivered to the clinic.

For more information about the NSW School Vaccination Program in your area, contact your local public health unit (PHU) by calling1300 066 055.