Vaccines for child care and school
Infections and diseases can spread among children who are not vaccinated. You can keep your child healthy by staying up to date with their vaccinations.
Review the full vaccination requirements for each setting.
If your child is in licensed child care in a centre or home, they must either:
- Be vaccinated according to the publicly funded vaccination schedule for Ontario, or
- Have a valid child care exemption.
Their vaccination record must be kept up to date with the child care provider.
If you have chosen not to vaccinate your child, you can apply for an exemption. If your child has a valid exemption, they may not be allowed to attend the child care centre during a disease outbreak. Outbreaks can last for several weeks.
Requesting a vaccination exemption
There are 2 types of exemptions:
- A non-medical exemption for conscience or religious beliefs
- A medical exemption
Non-medical exemptions (conscience or religious belief)
You will need to:
- Download and complete a statement of conscience or religious belief form from the Ministry of Education under the Child Care and Early Year Act. (You may not be able to download the form using a mobile device.)
- Get the form signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
- Give the original notarized exemption form to your licensed child care provider.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, or toll-free 1-888-919-7800.
Medical exemptions
Your child may qualify for a medical exemption if:
- A medical condition prevents your child from receiving vaccines.
- Your child is already protected (proven to have immunity) against certain diseases.
You will need to:
- Have your doctor or nurse practitioner download and complete a statement of medical exemption form from the Ministry of Education under the Child Care and Early Year Act. (You may not be able to download the form using a mobile device.)
- Give the original completed medical exemption form to your licensed child care operator.
Once your child starts elementary school, you will need to complete the exemption process again.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, or toll-free 1-888-919-7800.
If your child is in school, they must either:
- Be vaccinated against certain diseases, or
- Have a valid exemption.
You are required to provide up-to-date vaccination information for your child when registering for school for the first time, including when registering your child for kindergarten and students coming from outside Ontario.
You must report your child’s vaccinations to Peel Region, otherwise they may be suspended from school.
After you report your vaccinations, you will be given a reference number. This reference number is only needed when registering your child for school for the first time. You will need to provide this reference number to your school as proof you submitted your child’s vaccinations to us.
If you cannot locate a reference number, previously reported vaccinations online or you are experiencing technical issues with the online reporting tool, contact us at 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.
If you do not have online access or your child does not have an Ontario Health Card, contact your school for other ways to report vaccinations.
If you have chosen not to vaccinate your child, you can apply for an exemption. If your child has a valid exemption, they will not be suspended from school, however, your child may not be allowed to attend school during a disease outbreak. Outbreaks can last for several weeks.
Requesting a vaccination exemption
There are 2 types of exemptions:
- A non-medical exemption for conscience or religious beliefs
- A medical exemption
Non-medical exemptions (conscience or religious belief)
Parents and guardians considering a non-medical exemption under the Immunization of School Pupils Act for children attending school in Peel must:
- Download and complete a separate statement of conscience or religious belief form from the Ministry of Health under the Immunization of School Pupils Act for each child you are a requesting an exemption. (You may not be able to download the form using a mobile device.)
- Notarize the form by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
Send the original notarized form by courier or registered mail to:
Peel Region
Health Services – Immunization Records
7120 Hurontario St.
Mississauga, ON
L5W 1N4- Keep a copy of the form for your records.
If you’re interested in completing a video education session or have questions about Peel Region’s vaccination exemption process, call 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.
Medical exemptions
Your child may qualify for a medical exemption for vaccinations specifically required to attend school if:
- A medical condition prevents your child from receiving vaccines, or
- Your child is already protected (proven to have immunity) against certain diseases.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.
COVID-19 vaccine requirements
Currently, children are not required to have the COVID-19 vaccine to attend school, under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act.
However, some settings like sports organizations may have different requirements for COVID-19 vaccination. Contact the organization directly for further details.
If you haven't reported all your child's vaccinations, you might get a letter from Peel Region asking for the information to be submitted.
Review your child’s information in the letter, for example the spelling of your child’s name, or date of birth to make sure it’s correct. Contact your child’s school if you need to update the information.
Common reasons for getting a letter from Peel Region:
- Your child’s vaccination record is not up to date with Peel Region.
- Your child hasn't received a vaccine.
- Your child received vaccinations that do not meet the requirements of Ontario's routine vaccine schedule.
- You've requested an exemption, but Peel Region hasn't received the original signed and completed medical form, notarized conscience, or religious form.
- Your child’s vaccinations were not given on time according to the schedule.