In healthcare, consent means a professional has permission to treat you.

If you are under 16 years old the immunisation nurse will ask for permission from your parent or carer. Once you are over 16 you can give consent yourself.

If you are under 16 and you don’t have your parent or carer’s consent, it doesn’t mean you can’t have the immunisation. The immunisation nurse will talk to you to make sure it’s safe and to assess whether you understand and have a level of competence. This means having the maturity and ability to understand what the treatment involves, which is called Gillick competence.   

Your guide to Gillick competence & consent

It’s completely normal to feel worried about having a vaccination. Here are some facts from the School Immunisation Team that may help you feel less worried.

• The needles are not huge - just long enough to get to the right place.
• The injection is not like a blood test; it is quicker and it feels like a pinch or a cat scratch.
• The needle cannot break off in your arm and your arm will not fall off!
• You cannot get the disease from the vaccination.

Distraction is a great way of helping you cope with an upcoming vaccination, and even during the vaccination itself. Vaccinations are very quick, so if you can find a helpful distraction, you might not even notice the injection. 

Find some distraction ideas in Childline's coping kit 

After your injection, you can carry on as normal.

• Try to move your arm regularly after their injection. This helps stop the arm from feeling stiff.
• You might notice common mild side effects like redness, pain and swelling at the injection site. Paracetamol can be taken if you feel sore or achy.

If you think you are becoming unwell you can contact the GP or 111. If you have any questions about the vaccinations you can contact the Schools Immunisation Team on 0300 555 5055 selecting option 2.

Find out more about minor vaccine side effects

You might be feeling calm and confident about having the vaccine, but there are still some things you can do to be prepared.

• Wear short sleeves on the day to make it easier to ‘get at’ the top of your arm. 
• Be sure to have breakfast - being anxious burns more calories and can cause a headache after your injection.
• Ignore rumours and scary stories about vaccines. There is lots of misinformation, so get information from trusted websites like the NHS.
• If you have any worries or questions, speak to a trusted adult, who can help you to feel better. They can even call the school immunisation team for more information.
• Practise relaxation techniques to help with anxiety, like mindfulness activities.

Your immunisation nurse will be used to young people being nervous so you can ask them anything and they'll do their best to help with any worries. 

Find more top tips for immunisation day

There are a lot of reasons why young people miss vaccinations, for example:

• Parents/carers refusing consent
• Being new to the country
• Vaccine misinformation
• Homelessness

If you are worried you have missed a vaccination or would like to book a vaccination, you can contact your GP.

If you are a migrant, asylum seeker,  refugee or homeless you can register with a GP practice and see a health professional for free. You do not need to provide proof of identity, address or immigration status to register with a GP practice and routine vaccinations are free.

Read more about vaccinations for migrants

In the UK, the NHS immunisation schedule offers routine vaccinations through childhood. This protects from many diseases but does not cover all of the infectious diseases found abroad. 

If you are planning to travel, it's best to check the vaccine status for your destination in advance. Most vaccinations should be booked with a GP or travel clinic at least 6-8 weeks before you travel. 

Find out international vaccination information at NHS fit for travel

In recent years there have been a lot of stories about vaccines in the media and online. Many of these are not based on any facts but have made people worry. It is important that you get information about vaccinations from a trusted source. The Oxford Vaccine Knowledge Project gives independent fact-checked information. Common myths include:

Vaccines can be harmful

All vaccines are very carefully tested for a long time before they are approved for use on humans and continue to be monitored. Complications are very, very rare whereas the diseases they protect us from are very dangerous.

I can't have a vaccine if I have a cold

You can have a vaccine when you have a cold - as long as you don’t have a fever/temperature.

Homeopathy or special diets can be used instead of vaccines

There is no proof that homeopathy or diets can protect you from serious diseases. We know that vaccinations do.

It's better to get the disease and try and get immune that way

This is very risky because the diseases that vaccines protect us from can have very serious complications.

Influenza, also known as the 'flu' happens every year, usually in winter. It's a highly infectious viral illness that leads to fever, chills, headache, muscle pains and extreme tiredness. 

If you went to primary school in the UK you may have been offered the nasal flu spray vaccine. Older young people who have conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart or lung disease are offered the flu vaccination at their GP every autumn. This is to avoid becoming seriously unwell from the flu affecting their conditions. 

The flu virus is changing continually, so the vaccine is updated every year.  If you are at risk, you will get the vaccination each year. 

Find out more about influenza and the flu vaccine

The HPV vaccine reduces your chances of getting Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is a common virus spread through skin contact. Most types of HPV are harmless, like those that cause verrucas and warts, but some types are linked to a risk of cancer. 

All young people are offered the HPV vaccination at age 12 or 13. If you missed the vaccination, contact your GP because it's available free on the NHS for:

• females under 25
• males born after 1st September 2006.

Read 6 questions about the HPV vaccine

The Meningococcal ACWY vaccine protects you from 4 types of bacteria that cause meningitis, a serious illness that can be life-threatening. 

The MenACWY vaccine is recommended for all teenagers and is given around the age of 13 or 14. It's usually given as a single injection in the upper arm. 

If you missed your vaccination, you can get it up to the age of 25. Ask your GP about getting vaccinated.

Around the age of 13 or 14 you'll be offered the TD/IPV Vaccine, also known as the 3-in-1 teenager booster, which protects you from three serious illnesses:

• Tetanus (T)
• Diphtheria (D)
• Polio (IPV)

It's a 'booster' because you will likely have had four doses as a young child if you have always lived in the UK. This fifth teenage dose completes the recommended course to fully protect you. 

If you don't think you've had all five doses, contact your GP for advice. 

Five questions about tetanus, diphtheria, polio (TD/IPV) vaccine

The MMR vaccine protects you against three infections which can lead to serious health problems: 

• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella (German Measles)

The MMR vaccine can be given at any age and consists of two doses at least one month apart. If you are unsure if you've been vaccinated, or may have only had one dose, speak to your GP to make sure you are booked in to be fully vaccinated. 

Find out more about measles and the MMR vaccine