Working With Children Vocational Placement Vaccination and Immunisation Requirements - Victoria
All organisations have their own Policies and Procedures that must be followed, this will include immunisation and vaccination requirements for all types of staff including vocational placement applications.
All people working with children in Victoria must follow the Victorian legislative requirements outlined by the Victorian Department of Health.
The Victorian Department of Health states that “people working with children” are at increased risk of the transmitting of vaccine-preventable diseases, therefore staying up to date with vaccinations is the most effective way to protect oneself and the children and babies in care.
People working with children include:
staff and students working in early childhood education and care
correctional staff working where infants and children live with their mothers
school teachers, including student teachers
people who work as carers for children outside school hours
people who work in child counselling services
people who work in youth services.
People who should be vaccinated are those working closely with children, including:
childcare and preschool staff
school staff (including teachers, school nurses, out-of-school carers and welfare coordinators)
youth and children’s service workers (including child protection workers)
health and allied health workers
correctional staff working where children cohabitate with mothers
vocational students on placement.
The following vaccines may be recommended:
whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine
measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine (if nonimmune)
chickenpox (varicella) vaccine (if nonimmune)
hepatitis A vaccine (for staff working in early childhood education and care)
hepatitis B vaccine (for staff working with people with intellectual disabilities)
seasonal influenza vaccine.