Do you have to vaccinate foster children?

AnnaBelle

Thanks, Sunny. ;-)

In reality, this is much more complex than a simple 'yes' or 'no'. I have no idea where you live...If you live in Canada, please email me for more info. I'm in Alberta.

There are a few factors that need to be considered. My husband and I are fost/adopt parents with two children, aged (almost) 2 and 9 months.

First, it depends whether or not parental rights are terminated. If parental rights are NOT terminated, the parents do have rights, as far giving consent for vaccines, which means, the province (in my case) has to uphold their wishes, as the biological parent (they often have an advocate/worker to whom they give consent to make these decisions on their behalf, as well). My son had his initial shots, and my daughter has had none. My kids' mother would not return any phone calls, or any requests by the health unit or the social workers urging her to consent to the vaccines for our littlest one. I wonder if she knows how much of a blessing that really was. Her rights were terminated for our little guy when he was 14 months old (before he was placed with us) and her rights to our daughter were just terminated in April.

The foster parents who had the kids before they came to us (at 16 months and 2 months, respectively), simply never were able to get the kids in for their shots. Either one of them was sick (our daughter was REALLY, REALLY sick when she was born, and for months after), there was no time, etc., and it just ended up getting put off. Fast forward a few months, and they are with us. I then began asking the same question you are...Do I REALLY have to do this?

The thing is, these kids are technically wards of the province (or state) and when they are fully in the care of the government (parental rights being terminated), the mandate is that they MUST be vaccinated. We, however, got lucky.

We have a worker who agrees with us, and did not vaccinate her biological children (who are now 22 and 20, and incidentally, have never come down with a deadly disease. Go figure...), and we are working toward adoption. Because we are working toward adoption, our kids' worker is being INCREDIBLY supportive, and is fielding calls from our local health unit until we can get the adoption finalized, at which time, they can't force us to do a damn thing.

Not everyone is in this position, though, I realize.

The thing with us, too, is that our workers are sympathetic, even the ones who DO vax. They realize that we are not trying to be neglectful...I have an illness that has been determined to be a result of a vaccination I had as a child, and I have done thorough research. I'm not lazy, or neglectful, or some kind of witch doctor wackadoo (well, maybe just a little :-P)...I just don't want to do something that I feel will harm these children that I love SO MUCH. As time went on, I got more and more anxious and distraught about the thought of taking them in to get their shots. I got desperate, so I broke down and called our worker to beg for mercy, and as luck would have it, she was supportive.

So, the first thing to consider is the wishes of the bio parents...If they are choosing to have the child vaccinated, there is nothing you can do. The next thing to consider is...Are you adopting this child? If not, this child is a ward of the state, and as such, you are simply a custodian, and have no right to refuse medical "treatment" (ahem...) that is government mandated. Plus, if the adoption is not finalized, the government can STILL push to have them vaccinated before finalization.

Please, contact me if you have any other questions about this. It's a complex issue, as I said. Also, if Sunny's Q & A's are open, check out some of the information she provides in her answers about vaccines. She's very knowledgeable.

Good luck!

Doodlestuff

Unless you are fostering relatives, the answer is yes. It is mandatory. If you are fostering relatives, such as your niece or grandchild, you can delay and sometimes selectively vaccinate. However, unless you are appointed permanent guardian, ultimately, the child will be required to receive all vaccinations before going to school because you are not authorized to refuse them under any grounds but medical.

Andraya - Snark's Sister

As far as I know you have to vaccinate them unless/until you adopt them. As foster children they are Crown Wards, meaning the Crown (government) holds custody and the Crown will most certainly require the foster parents to provide all necessary medical interventions, including vaccinations as the government sees them as necessary.

Now this is just to the best of my knowledge. Annabelle really needs to answer though as she will know for sure.

â™¥â™¥Mum To Superkids is engagedâ™¥â™¥

If they are in the care of the state, yes. Foster parents are the day to day parents of the child, meaning that they are not able to make major decisions such as vaccination choices. Either the natural family or foster family may raise an objection to this, but in my area at least, a child in the care of the CEO must be immunised.

cricketlady

Absolutely Yes. And this most definitely includes All relative foster children. Their health passport will be checked by the worker and all immunizations must be done--there is no free pass. When children come into care they become the sole custody of the State and the state most definitely requires these be kept up to-date. The health works agency for your area, here in the states, tracks all medical. The parents of the child has no say in this matter---the state is the child's guardian until child returns home or is adopted.

LindseyTaylor

Do you have to get vaccinations for your bio children???

Children are children. If they already have the necessary shots then you would not have to worry about getting them anything extra but if it is that time of the year then it would be the foster parent's responsibility to get their shots up to date. Pretty much all schools and daycares require children to have their shot records up to date..

As a foster parent you would act as parent and have all the same responsibilities as a parent would...including doctors appointments.

Peter S

Yes, it's required for all children

Crystal

Coming from being fostered.. I say yes...
in Australia its free but i don't know about other countries...

Kiely North

All children need to be vaccinated, unless you want to be responsible for their death. Yes, childhood vaccinations are that serious.

Sparkle

If its required by the school system, I would consult your Social Worker before you vaccinate them just to be sure

Mommy2Max

Interesting question. I was going to give you a star only, but see everyone is answering this incorrectly.
Children can be exempt from vaccinations if the parent desires, they do need to get a waiver though. You do not HAVE to vaccinate your children. Foster children, however, are not the 'property' of the foster parents. I don't know the answer. Who has the medical rights to the child? Interesting, sorry I don't have the answer.

Belie

No, it's okay to allow foster children to not be vaccinated and then catch deadly diseases. They're only foster children, after all.

Jess

Search out mary tacco on the web and you will see what is in our vaccinations.. Sorry I only speak what the truth tells me. : (

Sunny

I hope not. They have enough problems-no need to poison them too.

You need Annabelle to answer...

Annabelle?

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