1.1.I.10 Immunisation requirements (FTB, CCB, MIA)

Summary

For the purposes of FTB, from 1 July 2012 immunisation requirements described below apply for the income years in which an FTB child turns 1, 2 and 5 years.

For the purposes of CCB, the immunisation requirements described below apply to children under 7 years of age. For CCB, the child's immunisation status is checked each day.

MIA was discontinued on 1 July 2012. Immunisation requirements described below will apply for claims made under transitional arrangements (2.5.3).

Immunisation requirements for FTB

From 1 July 2012, payment of the FTB Part A supplement to an individual is conditional on the FTB child who has turned 1, 2 or 5 years during the relevant income year meeting immunisation requirements for that income year. An individual may be eligible for the FTB Part A supplement if:

• the individual receiving FTB is a parent of the child or partnered to the parent of a child on the last day of the income year, or
• the individual has had care of the child for at least 182 days in the income year, including the last day of the income year.

Where the FTB Part A supplement for a particular income year (relevant income year) is affected by the immunisation requirement, the child must meet the immunisation requirement before the end of the second income year after the relevant income year.

Example: Billy is turning 1 year on 4 June 2013. Billy must meet the immunisation requirement for the 2012-13 income year by 30 June 2015.

However, if the child dies before the end of the second income year after the relevant income year, the FTB Part A supplement for the child for the relevant income year will not be conditional on satisfying immunisation requirements.

If an individual receiving FTB dies during the relevant income year or within 2 years from the end of the relevant income year, the individual's eligibility for the FTB Part A supplement for the relevant income year will no longer be conditional on meeting immunisation requirements. However, the immunisation requirement may still apply to other individuals eligible for FTB in relation to the child for the relevant income year.

A child meets the immunisation requirements for the relevant income year if:

• the child is up-to-date and not overdue with vaccinations as per the standard vaccination schedule or approved catch-up vaccination schedule, or
• there is a conscientious objection covering all vaccines, or
• the child has a medical contraindication, or
• the child has natural immunity, or
• the child is in a class of person:
  • exempted by the Minister from the requirement to be immunised, or
  • which the Minister has determined meets the immunisation requirements.

Act reference: FAAct section 3(1)-'recognised immunisation provider', section 6 Immunisation requirements, section 7 Minister may make determinations in relation to the immunisation requirements, section 61B FTB Part A supplement to be disregarded unless immunisation requirements satisfied

Immunisation requirements for CCB & MIA

A child meets the immunisation requirements for CCB and MIA if:

• the child is fully immunised (this means the child is up-to-date and not overdue with all vaccines relevant to the child's age), or
• there is a conscientious objection or medical contraindication covering vaccines that the child is due to receive at that point in time, or
• the child has natural immunity to all vaccines that the child is due to receive at that point in time, or
• the child is in a class of person:
  • exempted by the Minister from the requirement to be immunised, or
  • which the Minister has determined meets the immunisation requirements.

For the purposes of MIA, the child must generally meet immunisation requirements between 18 months and 2 years of age and between 4 and 5 years of age. Children adopted from overseas must meet the immunisation requirements:

• between 18 months and 5 years of age if they arrived in Australia before their 3rd birthday, or
• at a time that was more than 18 months but less than 2 years after the child arrived in Australia, if they arrived in Australia after their 3rd birthday.

Act reference: FAAct section 3(1)-'recognised immunisation provider', section 6 Immunisation requirements, section 7 Minister may make determinations in relation to the immunisation requirements, section 42 When an individual is conditionally eligible for CCB by fee reduction for care provided by an approved child care service, section 44 When an individual is eligible for CCB for a past period for care provided by an approved child care service, section 45 When an individual is eligible for CCB for a past period for care provided by a registered carer

Vaccination schedules

The immunisation requirement applicable to a particular child is defined by the vaccination schedules and the child's age.

For the purposes of FTB:

• vaccines listed at 2, 4 and 6 months on the standard vaccination schedule apply to the income year in which the child turns 1 year.
• vaccines listed at 12 months on the standard vaccination schedule apply to the income year in which the child turns 2 years.
• vaccines listed at 4 years on the standard vaccination schedule apply to the income year in which the child turns 5 years.

The vaccination schedules are determined by the Minister in the disallowable instruments.

From 1 July 2012, the standard vaccination schedule lists vaccines at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months and 4 years:

Approved catch-up vaccination schedule

An approved catch-up vaccination schedule commences when a child misses vaccinations on the standard vaccination schedule. The catch-up vaccination schedule for the child is determined by a recognised immunisation provider according to information provided in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Up-to-date

Up-to-date means that at a child has had all medically possible vaccines appropriate for the child's age and no vaccines are overdue.

Act reference: FAAct section 3(1)-'immunised', section 4 Minister's power to make determinations for the purposes of the definition of immunised, section 6(2) Child immunised

Conscientious objection

A conscientious objection is a written declaration made by an individual caring for the child stating that they have an objection based on a personal, philosophical, religious or medical belief to the child being vaccinated.

A conscientious objection is accepted as the child meeting immunisation requirements where:

• a recognised immunisation provider has certified in writing that they have discussed the benefits and risks of immunising the child with the individual before that individual declared their objection, and
• the child is an FTB child of the individual at the time the conscientious objection is made.

Act reference: FAAct section 5 Meaning of conscientious objection, section 6(3) Conscientious objection, section 6(4) The child meets the immunisation requirements if...

Medical contraindication

Medical contraindication occurs when a recognised immunisation provider determines that it is not in the best interests of the child's health to have the child immunised.

For a child to meet the immunisation requirements by medical contraindication, a recognised immunisation provider must certify in writing that immunising the child would be medically contraindicated under the specifications set out in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Example: A child who suffers from an anaphylaxis egg allergy may face an unacceptable risk from immunisation. If so, immunisation is medically contraindicated.

Act reference: FAAct section 6(5) Medical contraindication

Natural immunity

For a child to meet the immunisation requirements by natural immunity, a medical practitioner must certify in writing that the child does not require immunisation because they have acquired natural immunity as a result of contracting a disease or diseases.

Example: A child who has previously contracted measles may have developed a natural immunity to contracting the disease again and therefore, does not need to be immunised against measles again.

Act reference: FAAct section 6(6) Natural immunity

Class of children exempt from requirements

The Minister has determined exempt classes of children in the disallowable instrument (1.1.D.90). Currently, the only specified exempt class is FTB children of practicing members of the Church of Christ - Scientist. For an FTB child to be considered exempt from the requirements, a letter from an official of the church is required declaring that the parent or carer of the child is a practising member of the church. This written declaration must be provided to the DHS in an appropriate format to enable a determination to be made.

Example: Church letterhead, signed and dated.

Act reference: FAAct section 6(7) Child is in an exempt class of children, section 7(1) Exemption from immunisation requirements

Other classes of children meeting requirements

The Minister has determined such classes of children in the disallowable instrument.

Specified classes are:

• participants in vaccine study conducted by Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, and
• children who were unable to be immunised due to temporary unavailability of vaccine.

Act reference: FAAct section 6(8) Other circumstances, section 7(2) Meeting the immunisation requirements

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Last reviewed: 2 July 2012