You will be offered routine vaccinations (injections) for your baby when they reach 2 months of age and upwards. These vaccinations are very important for your baby as they will protect them from serious diseases such as diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and bacterial infections that can cause meningitis, to name but a few. The immunisation schedule shows what vaccination is due and when.

More information about the vaccines your baby will receive up to 13 months of age can be found on the gov.uk website, including details about the MMR and MMRV vaccinations which will protect your child from the highly infectious diseases of measles, mumps and rubella. You can see further information about measles and mumps and the serious complications that can occur in common childhood infections.

For children born 1 September to 30 June 2024: The pre-school booster, given at 3 years and 4 months, provides added protection to your child against diptheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough vaccines given as a 4 in 1 vaccination. Information about the pre-school booster can be seen here on the gov.uk website. They will also receive their measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine at 3 years and 4 months.

For children born 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024: A 4-in-1 booster of the diptheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough vaccines will be given at 18 months with their MMRV vaccination. The pre-school booster and second MMRV vaccination, given at 3 years and 4 months, provides added protection to your child against diptheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough and measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (Chickenpox) given as two 4-in-1 vaccinations. Information about the pre-school booster can be seen here on the gov.uk website.

The NHS website has further information about both the MMR and MMRV vaccines.

The following Childhood vaccinations video explains how you can protect your child through vaccination:

• Arabic
• عربي
• English
• Polish
• Polski
• Punjabi
• ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
• Romanian
• Română
• Urdu
• اردو

For more vaccine information in English and other languages please see the Oxford Vaccine Knowledge Project.

There’s lots of information about vaccinations and you should ensure that you’re getting your information from a trusted and reliable source. You can find out more about vaccines, how they work and what’s in them in A guide to childhood vaccinations from the British Society for Immunology. Further information about vaccinations can be found on the NHS website including  why vaccination is safe and important.