Vaccination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people

Key facts

  • The National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides several vaccines free of charge to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. You can access these vaccines through programs run through your child’s school, or by visiting a Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC), pharmacy or an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO).

  • Two vaccines are recommended for all young people by the time they are 14 years old. These are:

    • a booster dose of a combined vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis), commonly known as dTpa, which is best given to young people aged 11–13 years
    • a vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus (HPV), which is best given to young people aged 12–13 years.

  • Vaccination against meningococcal disease is also recommended for all young people and can be given from 14 years old. This includes:

    • one free meningococcal vaccine (meningococcal ACYW) as part of the NIP
    • up to 2 doses of another meningococcal vaccine (meningococcal B). In the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia, this vaccine is available for free through school immunisation programs, PHCCs and ACCHOs. In all other states and territories, you may have to pay for this vaccine.

  • All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from 6 months of age and older should receive the influenza vaccine every year before the flu season. This vaccine is free as part of the NIP.

  • Young people who get sick easily or have serious health conditions might need extra vaccine doses to be fully protected against disease.

Last updated on 28 August 2026.

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What vaccines are recommended for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people?

There are 3 age-specific vaccines given to all young people under 19 years of age. These vaccines can be accessed through immunisation programs run through your child’s school, or by visiting a Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC), pharmacy or an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO).

Two vaccines are free and recommended by the time a young person is 14 years old:

  • a booster dose of a combined vaccine (dTpa) that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis), which is best given to young people aged 11–13 years
  • a vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus (HPV), which is best given to young people aged 12–13 years.

Vaccination against meningococcal disease is recommended for all young people. This includes:

  • a free vaccine (meningococcal ACWY) that protects against 4 types of bacteria that cause meningococcal disease
  • up to 2 doses of another meningococcal vaccine (meningococcal B). In the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia this vaccine is available for free through school immunisation programs, PHCC or an ACCHO. In all other states and territories, you may have to pay for this vaccine.

All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and older are recommended to get an influenza vaccine each year before the flu season. This vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).

Read more about annual influenza vaccination

What additional vaccines may be recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people who have certain medical risk conditions?

Young people who get sick easily, have serious health conditions or who have very weakened immune systems might need extra vaccine doses to be fully protected against disease. Speak with your doctor, nurse, Aboriginal Health Practitioner or Aboriginal Health Worker to understand if a young person is recommended any extra vaccinations.

This vaccine is free under the NIP for young people with certain medical risk conditions. This vaccine is given to strengthen a person’s immunity to the different types of bacteria (strains) that causes pneumococcal disease. 

The type of pneumococcal vaccine to use depends on a young person’s age, their medical risk condition and the number and types of pneumococcal vaccines they have received as a child. 

Read more about pneumococcal disease

What do I need to do before the vaccination?

Young people can be vaccinated at different locations. This includes at school, a PHCC, pharmacy or an ACCHO. In some states and territories, trained Aboriginal Health Practitioners are registered to vaccinate within their local service area.

To receive a school vaccine, a parent or guardian must complete and return a consent form. This consent form may be sent home as part of a printed information pack or put online by the school. By filling in and returning the consent form, you give permission for a young person to get vaccinated at school.

A young person can also receive their vaccines through a PHCC, pharmacy or an ACCHO. Contact your preferred healthcare professional to ask about the specific vaccines they can provide, and to arrange an appointment if needed.

What do I need to do after the vaccination?

After their vaccinations, some young people may be tired and want to rest more than usual. Some may also feel a little uncomfortable or sore where the injection was given. These symptoms should only last for a day or 2.

Read more about how to watch for and manage common vaccination reactions that young people may experience

Serious side effects are very rare, but they can happen. You may want to know more about them before a young person is vaccinated.

Read more about the rare but serious side effects

If a young person doesn’t seem to be getting better after being vaccinated, or you are worried about them, you can get help from:

  • a doctor, nurse, Aboriginal Health Practitioner or an Aboriginal Health Worker
  • your preferred healthcare professional
  • your nearest emergency department or by calling Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
What if I still have questions?

You can read some detailed answers to common questions here.

If you still have questions about vaccinations for a young person, write them down and make an appointment with a doctor, nurse or Aboriginal Health Practitioner so you can ask them.

State- and territory-specific vaccines

Different vaccinations are recommended in different states and territories. To find out if any additional vaccines are recommended for a young person, speak to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.

You can also find out more through the links below.

ACT Government: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and vaccines

NSW Health: NSW immunisation schedule (children and adults)

NT Government: Child and adolescent vaccinations

Queensland Government: Who should get vaccinated and when – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

SA Health: Aboriginal immunisation recommendations

Western Australia Government Department of Health: Childhood immunisation

Please note: In SKAI Adolescent, a young person refers to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person aged between 11 and 19 years.

Members of the NCIRS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SKAI working group and the NCIRS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Immunisation Leadership Committee contributed to, reviewed and endorsed the terms used and content included on this webpage. We thank them for their time, effort and advice.