Being fully immunized protects children against diseases that can be dangerous and easily spread to others. HPEPH collects and maintains records for all daycare and school age children, in accordance with the Child Care Early Years Act (CCEYA) and the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).
In Ontario, health care providers do not automatically report immunizations to their local public health agency. Parents and guardians are responsible for reporting their child’s immunizations to Public Health.
If you decide not to immunize your child, please review our Deciding Not to Immunize section at the bottom of this page.
Requirements for Daycare
Under the Child Care Early Years Act (CCEYA), children attending a licensed child care facility (and not attending school) must be immunized as recommended by the local MOH, or if a decision is made not to immunize, parents must provide public health with the the appropriate exemption documents. For children attending daycare, the CCEYA requires Public Health to have up-to-date immunization information for the following diseases:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Pertussis
- Polio
- Haemophilus influenzae (type b)
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Varicella
- Meningococcal disease
- Pneumococcal disease
- Rotavirus (as eligible)
Under the Child Care Early Years Act (CCEYA), children can be denied entry to daycare if their immunization records are not up to date. Avoid this by updating your child’s immunization record.
Requirements for School
For children attending school, the ISPA requires Public Health to have up-to-date immunization information for the following diseases:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Polio
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Varicella (chickenpox)*
- Meningoccal disease
* For children born in 2010, or later.
Under the ISPA, students can be suspended from school if their immunization records are not up-to-date with Public Health. Avoid this by updating your child’s immunization record.
Which Vaccines are Provided at School?
HPEPH works with local school boards to deliver certain vaccines in the school setting. Grade 7 vaccinations (hepatitis B, HPV and meningococcal) are provided in local schools each year. All vaccines are provided free of charge. The school immunization program involves the following:
- Parents will be asked to sign and return a printed consent form before the clinic day. For more information, review our Grade 7 Vaccinations overview.
- On the clinic day, an experienced Public Health nurse will use different strategies to minimize any discomfort, like distracting your child and asking your child to relax his/her arm.
- It’s possible that your child may receive up to three separate shots, one for each immunization, during a clinic.
- Your child will receive the immunizations in the upper arms. On clinic days, they should wear clothes that will allow easy access to their arms. The nurse will ask your child some questions about his or her health before beginning the immunization(s).
- If your child is absent on the day of the immunization clinic, please contact us to make other arrangements.
- Sometimes students may experience minor side effects, such as pain, swelling or redness in the arm.
Deciding not to Immunize
If you decide not to immunize your child, you must:
- Register for ISPA Exemption Education
- Please note that it may take up to 5 business days to receive a response. In order to ensure efficient service, please do not submit more than one request.
- AND complete one of the following notarized documents.
- Statement of Medical Exemption
- Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit for JK- grade 12 (original brought to Public Health)
- Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit for Child Care Centres along with a cover letter. (original brought to Public Health)
Affidavits must be signed in the presence of a Notary Public or a Commissioner of Oaths prior to bringing the originals to a Public Health office. Original documents must be brought to Public Health, and education must be completed before exemption is considered valid.
