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Original poster

Do schools speak to dc who have been opted out of vaccinations?

83 replies

vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:39

If a parent doesn’t consent for teenage vaccinations when the team go to a school to vaccinate do they speak to the children who are opted out to offer them the chance to consent for themselves or are they just not called for the vaccine ?

OP posts:
Original poster
vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:39

Age 12-13 if relevant

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 05/04/2025 20:40

Why do you want to opt them out of the vaccine?

Smartiepants79 · 05/04/2025 20:40

I would expect them to simply call for and vaccinate the children on their list.
There could be multiple reasons why a child isn’t being vaccinated through school. Medical issues, already had them etc…. They’re not going to start chasing them all up.

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fourelementary · 05/04/2025 20:41

Yes they can do. And can then vaccinate if pupil agrees.

Lovegame · 05/04/2025 20:41

At 12/13 they could potentially Gillick competent and make their own decision.

Original poster
vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:42

Smartiepants79 · 05/04/2025 20:40

I would expect them to simply call for and vaccinate the children on their list.
There could be multiple reasons why a child isn’t being vaccinated through school. Medical issues, already had them etc…. They’re not going to start chasing them all up.

On the consent you have to put a reason if you don’t consent. It’s HPV so they would be aware it would not have been given previously

OP posts:
NeverTookTheTime · 05/04/2025 20:42

My children had all vaccinations apart from flu and Covid, so I’m not sure if it’s the norm, but yes, they were spoken to. They said they didn’t want it and nothing else was said. I’m not sure what would happen if the parent had said no but the child said yes though.

Smartiepants79 · 05/04/2025 20:43

fourelementary · 05/04/2025 20:41

Yes they can do. And can then vaccinate if pupil agrees.

I’m surprised they’ve got the time or resources to do this! But then I’m only really familiar with procedures for primary school!!

Original poster
vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:43

dementedpixie · 05/04/2025 20:40

Why do you want to opt them out of the vaccine?

It’s not me, I have consented for my dd. My friend has said she has opted her ds out (they are in the same form) and I had mentioned how due to age they will probably ask him but she says they legally aren’t able to until age 14

OP posts:
jewelcase · 05/04/2025 20:43

I opted one of mine out of flu (because she had it one year and found it pretty traumatic so asked not to have it again). They did ask her.

frozendaisy · 05/04/2025 20:44

No they just call ones with consent to go
Our eldest was one of a handful of boys to go for HPV vaccine, more girls went, he noticed the low uptake and thought they were mad not to

12/13 is old enough to talk through the pros and cons surely, isn’t it up to the parents and teen to decide not leave yet another supposed parental discussion and decision to the school? (Which they won’t do anyway)

kidditsonyou · 05/04/2025 20:46

I opted dd out and took her to to have it at the doctors as she has anxiety and history of passing out after injections.

She says nobody spoke to her at school about it or offered her the chance to consent. Obviously I phoned and explained the reasons but I don’t think the reason is any of schools business

Original poster
vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:47

I’m not judging her as obviously it’s her choice but I was just under the impression at secondary school they would give the children a choice as well

OP posts:
frozendaisy · 05/04/2025 20:47

vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:43

It’s not me, I have consented for my dd. My friend has said she has opted her ds out (they are in the same form) and I had mentioned how due to age they will probably ask him but she says they legally aren’t able to until age 14

Show quote history

So it’s HPV, which reduces a male’s chance of certain cancers as well.

Has the son agreed?

Original poster
vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:49

frozendaisy · 05/04/2025 20:47

So it’s HPV, which reduces a male’s chance of certain cancers as well.

Has the son agreed?

Show quote history

I have no idea , we were having coffee the other day when the email came through and I did the consent and she told me she wasn’t going to consent but it came up with a list of reasons you had to pick one (no option for ‘prefer not to say’ which is what she wanted) . I just said how I thought they’d go over it with the children as well to see if they want to consent themselves

OP posts:
kidditsonyou · 05/04/2025 20:50

Does the son want it and friends worried they’ll ask him and he’ll say yes?

frozendaisy · 05/04/2025 20:50

vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:47

I’m not judging her as obviously it’s her choice but I was just under the impression at secondary school they would give the children a choice as well

Oh come on OP can you imagine the fuss if they did, not worth the bother it’s not their kid unvaccinated

All legal actions, calling the school out for not listening to parental consent, it wouldn’t be worth the paperwork.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 05/04/2025 20:52

I/we declined our invitation.

My dd didn't want hers done at school, so she had it done in a local medical center instead.
If anyone had come near her with a needle in their hand at school she would have run out of the room.

TheNightingalesStarling · 05/04/2025 20:52

I forget to fill in the form for flu vaccination (I did one child but not the other, its online) and she didn't get it... just got told to ask parent to fill in the permission form by the catch up date.

Part of the form is confirming they haven't had it elsewhere, plus for allergies. It isn't just about consent.

kidditsonyou · 05/04/2025 20:52

They’ll only inject the kids with parental consent who’ve been opted in.
overwise what would be the point of the consent form?

Original poster
vaccinationquestion · 05/04/2025 20:53

frozendaisy · 05/04/2025 20:50

Oh come on OP can you imagine the fuss if they did, not worth the bother it’s not their kid unvaccinated

All legal actions, calling the school out for not listening to parental consent, it wouldn’t be worth the paperwork.

Show quote history

Yes you’re probably right I just assumed at a certain age they would ask the child as well

OP posts:
ARichtGoodDram · 05/04/2025 20:53

It'll depend on the school.

At one school here locally they discussed the HPV vaccine with all of the pupils in the age group and told them it could be discussed if their parents refused permission and they could possibly be classed as old enough and mature enough to consent for themselves. It caused outrage among some parents.

At DS's school they missed about 15 kids that did have consent off the list, let alone adding any more.

CoffeeInTheClouds · 05/04/2025 20:54

In my son's school they just call those who have consent, the others just get on with their lesson. No drama there!

frozendaisy · 05/04/2025 20:55

Our youngster had a reaction to his HPV, nothing life threatening, I mentioned it to school when getting his meningitis, spoke to the vaccination team, they were super, had meningitis, no reaction whatsoever.

So all fully vaccinated here, our kids love a vaccine

We are certain after their Covid ones they were actually calmer, happier, dunno but just better!

kidditsonyou · 05/04/2025 20:56

Do you really think that school should be allowed to put that kind of pressure on children?
I would be really annoyed if dd was spoken to and again offered it at school as I’d already said no for her.

what option did you’re friend pick for the reasons he wasn’t having it?