Can I child’s place be rejected if they are not immunised?

[BlueMaya]

Hi, I’m really not looking to start a debate on immunisations. I would just like to know if a nursery place in a private nursery can be rejected on the basis toddler isn’t immunised?

This wouldn't be unusual in the UK I'm not certain if it would be unlawful though.

My friend's child couldn't get some vaccines because of a medical condition, so surely it would be disability discrimination to refuse that child?

Yes, I think they can as they are a private business they can create their own admission criteria. If it was a council owned nursery or preschool attached to a primary school, then they can't.

I hope so

If the DC cannot be immunised for medical reasons, then it would potentially be a breach of DDA to exclude them.

Aside from that, it's likely to be OK for DS in settings such as nurseries (ie not covering compulsory school age), especially as so many do not have such a stipulation.

Interested to see if anyone has an authoritative answer!

I bloody hope so. Only for those choosing not too. To protect those children who have no choice if nothing else.

No one can answer that question properly until you tell us where abouts you live as the answer depends entirely on which country you're talking about.

Yes. It's private and they can reject you for any reason. It is not mandatory to vaccinate your child do a state one probably can not.

My child minder (in England) 14 years ago, required her charges to have had their MMR.

She was very much in demand, I don't think anyone argued. I certainly didn't.

If the nursery is over subscribed this would be a hugely sensible policy
Those who can't be vaccinated for genuine reasons are pretty rare and I assume would be exempted.

I've had three children go through school from nursery upwards and never been asked if they were vaccinated but we have never used a private nursery

SIL was up against this (anti vaxxer) she told us once the dc had left nursery that she filled in the vaccine section in the red book herself copied from a friends as she said all they wanted to see was a completed vaccination section. I was disgusted with her

I would agree with this as the (probable) legal position.

Unfortunately , vaccination isn’t mandatory in the uk for nursery or school….but staff should always know the vaccination status of their attendees as they need to be able to make health and safety decisions to protect the other children.

I don’t think either of my child’s nurseries asked (one not long started). If they did they definitely didn’t ask for proof.

I raised this at my DC’s nursery 20 years ago - their policy was not to turn any child away on that basis. I still disagree with that stance. I believe that any child who is medically exempt should be allowed a place, but not those unvaccinated for any other reason. An unvaccinated child poses a risk to those too young to be vaccinated, particularly where measles is concerned.

My kids' nursery doesn't accept unvaccinated children unless there's a good reason I.e medical exemption.

I'm very glad of this!

Also they have to see the red book for proof I forgot to add

Hopefully they do, if only to protect those who cannot be vaccinated or are too young to be vaccinated.

A private nursery can, yes.

I would hope so. Unless medically unable to have the vaccine.