Immunisation for children

immunisation for children

Children aged 6 weeks to 5 years can access a range of free vaccines through our service.

Immunisation sessions
See times and dates of our sessions for children,
adolescents and adults

National Immunisation Program

All children in Victoria are recommended to get the vaccines listed under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule. The NIP schedule includes vaccines given at 6 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 4 years of age.

Learn more about childhood immunisation at Better Health Channel.

We give all the vaccines on the NIP schedule and have stock available at all sessions.

Optional immunisations

In addition to the vaccines provided under the National Immunisation Program, we can give optional recommended vaccines at all sessions.

Please note: We cannot give vaccines that have been purchased elsewhere and brought to a session. All vaccines must be purchased from our stock at the admin desk on arrival at a session.

Meningococcal B - Bexsero

Learn more about meningococcal at Better Health Channel.

Children can get the meningococcal B vaccine from 6 weeks of age.

The vaccine is available for purchase at our sessions without a prescription at a cost of $140 per dose. Aboriginal and Torres Strait lslander children can get the vaccine for free up to 2 years of age.

If your child is under 2 years of age:

If your child is under 2 years old and is having the meningococcal B vaccine, it is recommended they be given paracetamol (such as Panadol) with every dose of meningococcal B vaccine. This is because of an increased risk of fever as a side effect associated with this vaccine.

  1. Give a first dose of paracetamol in the 30 minutes before, or as soon as possible after getting the vaccine.
  2. Give 2 more doses of paracetamol 6 hours apart.

It’s important that you buy paracetamol before attending an immunisation session when receiving the meningococcal B vaccine.

Meningococcal ACWY

Learn more about meningococcal at Better Health Channel.

Meningococcal ACWY vaccine is given at 12 months of age on the National Immunisation Program.

However, the meningococcal ACWY vaccine can be given as early as 6 weeks of age. The scheduled dose at 12 months of age is funded and acts as a booster dose for those who start early, providing the best protection for your child.

The vaccine is available for purchase at our sessions without a prescription at a cost of $72 per dose.

Influenza / flu

Learn more about flu at Better Health Channel.

Children can get the flu vaccine from 6 months of age, and it’s recommended to start immunising against flu as early as possible. The flu vaccine is funded on the National Immunisation Program for children aged up to and including 4 years old.

The first time your child gets the flu vaccine they will need 2 doses, given 4 weeks apart. In the following years, they will only need 1 seasonal flu vaccine.

The 2024 flu vaccine is now available at all sessions for all clients aged 6 months and over.

Funded flu vaccine is available for

  • children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
  • anyone aged 65 years and older
  • pregnant people – at any stage of pregnancy
  • all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
  • people aged 6 months or older with certain medical risk factors — you can check the list of eligible conditions at Better Health Channel.

Fee-paying flu vaccine is available to purchase for people outside these categories at a cost of $22 per dose, payable by EFTPOS at the immunisation session.

Chickenpox (varicella)

Learn more about chickenpox (varicella) at Better Health Channel.

Chickenpox vaccine is given at 18 months of age on the National Immunisation Program, as part of a combined measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox vaccine.

However, chickenpox vaccine can be given as early as 12 months of age. Based on current evidence, two doses of the chickenpox vaccine in children from 12 months will minimise the risk of breakthrough chickenpox. The scheduled dose at 18 months of age is funded and acts as a booster dose for those who start early, providing the best protection for your child.

The vaccine is available for purchase at our sessions without a prescription at a cost of $72 per dose.

Travel vaccines

Council immunisation services are not authorised to provide advice on vaccines needed for travel to destinations outside Australia. Many recommended vaccines are not given as part of the standard NIP schedule, and may require specialist knowledge. You can contact us on 8470 8562 or email immunise@darebin.vic.gov.au for recommendations for travel medicine consultants.

Overseas immunisations

If your child was immunised overseas, we can review your child's history, update the Australian Immunisation Register, and recommend catch-up immunisations if needed.

Please note that priority is given to families living within the City of Darebin. Families living in other Local Government Areas should contact their local council immunisation service or their GP for assistance.

Please complete our form to submit your details and your overseas immunisation records for review before attending an immunisation session.

Contact us on immunise@darebin.vic.gov.au or call 03 8470 8562 for any questions.

Catch-up immunisations

Catch-up vaccinations are available for missed childhood and adolescent NIP vaccines up to and including 19 years of age. We can help you work out which vaccines you or your child may have missed and create a catch-up plan.

Contact us on 03 8470 8562 or email immunise@darebin.vic.gov.au before attending an immunisation session so we can help you make a catch-up plan.

Childhood services and benefit payments

Childhood services

Your child’s immunisation history status can affect their eligibility to enrol in childcare, kindergarten, and other early childhood services.

All parents or guardians who want to enrol their child at an early childhood service in Victoria must provide evidence that their child:

  • is fully immunised for their age according to the National Immunisation Program schedule, or
  • has an approved medical exemption recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

Learn more about immunisation requirements for childhood services at Better Health Channel.

We can help get your child’s immunisations up to date - contact us on 03 8470 8562 or immunise@darebin.vic.gov.au before attending an immunisation session so we can help you make a catch-up plan.

Payments

Your child’s immunisation history can affect whether you’re eligible for certain Government payments.

To meet immunisation requirements for Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Subsidy, your child must:

  • meet the Childhood schedule on the Department of Health’s National Immunisation Program Schedule, or
  • be on a suitable catch-up schedule in line with the Department of Health’s current Australian Immunisation Handbook recommendations, or
  • have an approved medical exemption recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

Learn more about immunisation requirements for payments at Services Australia.

We can help get your child’s immunisations up to date - contact us on 03 8470 8562 or email immunise@darebin.vic.gov.au before attending an immunisation session so we can develop a catch-up plan.

Contact Us

Darebin Immunisation Service
270 Gower St, Preston 3072
Phone: 03 8470 8562
Email: immunise@darebin.vic.gov.au

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