Skip to content Accesskeys Newsroom

Immunisation for children

There are some diseases that can kill children or cause lasting damage to their health. Sometimes your child's system needs help to fight those diseases. Immunisation - also called 'vaccination', 'jabs' or 'injections' - provides that help.

Childhood immunisation programme

Immunisation prepares our bodies to fight serious infections that we may come in contact with in the future. Because immunisation is so successful, it is now rare for children to get serious diseases like diphtheria, polio or tetanus. Measles and pertussis (whooping cough) are also becoming less common. However, if children are not immunised against these diseases, they will come back again.

Vaccines are offered to all children to protect them against the following diseases:

  • Diphtheria (D)
  • Tetanus (T)
  • Pertussis (P)
  • Polio (IPV)
  • Haemophilus influenzae (Hib)
  • Measles
  • Mumps
  • Rubella
  • Meningitis C
  • Pneumococcal infection (PCV)
  • Human Papillomavirus
Age immunisation is given Diseases protected against Name of vaccine
Two months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Pneumococcal infection DTaP/IPV/Hib Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, (PCV)
Three months old

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

Meningitis C

DTaP/IPV/Hib

MenC
Four months old

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Meningitis C

Pneumococcal infection

DTaP/IPV/Hib

MenC

PCV
Around 12 months old

Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)

Meningitis C

 Hib/MenC
Around 13 months old

Measles, mumps and rubella

Pneumococcal infection

MMR

PCV
Three to five years Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio Measles, mumps and rubella DTaP/IPV or dTaP/IPV MMR
14 to 18 years old Diphtheria, tetanus, polio Td/IPV
13 to 18 years old (from September 2008 - girls only) Human papilloma virus (HPV) - increases the risk of cervical cancer HPV

In addition, some babies in high-risk groups are given a BCG immunisation for protection against tuberculosis shortly after they are born. Higher risk infants may also receive immunisation against Hepatitis B.

Your doctor or health visitor will give you more information if your child needs any of these.

Getting your child immunised

All parents receive invitations at the appropriate times to have their child immunised

Before your child starts school, they will usually get their jabs either at your doctor's surgery or local health clinic. An appointment is usually sent from the Child Health Department or by your surgery.

Teenagers will usually have their injections at school. The school will contact you before your child is given any immunisation.

If you have any questions, you can talk to your health visitor, doctor, school nurse or practice nurse at your doctor's surgery.

Useful leaflets

Further information on immunisations can be found in the following leaflets:

More useful links

Do it online

Useful contacts