The National Immunisation Programme protects against 13 serious infectious diseases. Read more to find out exactly what is involved.
About 2 weeks after your child is born, you will be visited by a paediatrician (children’s doctor) or nurse from the well-baby clinic. This home visit is for a first introduction. Your baby will not be medically examined. That happens a few weeks later at the well-baby clinic. During the home visit, you can ask questions about your baby's care. The doctor or nurse will also tell you about the National Immunisation Programme. After that, it will be several weeks before your baby gets the first vaccination.
The first visit to the well-baby clinic
The nurse who visits your home will usually also make an appointment for your first visit to the well-baby clinic. The first visit usually takes place when your baby is 4 weeks old. At the well-baby clinic, the doctors or nurses check the healthy development of children aged 0–4 years. For example, the doctors and nurses will look at your child’s height and weight, and how well your child can see and hear. At the clinic, your child will also receive the vaccinations in the context of the National Immunisation Programme.
Next appointments at the well-baby clinic
During the first months, your baby will be expected at the well-baby clinic for regular appointments. The doctor will then examine your baby and discuss how the baby is developing. During these visits, your baby may also receive another vaccination according to the vaccination schedule. Your baby visits the well-baby clinic a number of times during the first 14 months, and receives a vaccination during 5 of those visits. When your child is almost 4 years old, the last vaccination will be given at the well-baby clinic.
When children turn 4 years old, youth healthcare is transferred from the well-baby clinics to youth healthcare organisations working through schools. Health screenings will be conducted at school from this point onwards. You will receive information about this from your local Youth Healthcare Services (JGZ) organisation.
The vaccinations that are given after the child reaches 4 years are not usually given in combination with health screenings. Instead, children over 4 are usually vaccinated in large groups of children the same age, for example in a sports hall or other large venue in the municipality. These group vaccinations are organised once a year or several times a year, depending on the JGZ organisation.
The invitation letter for early childhood vaccinations
When the baby is about 4 weeks old, parents receive a letter from RIVM inviting them to take part in National Immunisation Programme. The invitation contains a letter, the vaccination certificate, all the invitation cards for the vaccinations until the child turns 4, and a leaflet with information. The vaccination schedule shows when the child receives each vaccination.
Parents receive a new invitation letter from RIVM for the vaccination when the child reaches 4 years. The vaccination is offered during the associated visit to the well-baby clinic. During that visit, the doctor or nurse also checks that the child is healthy. These health screenings also happen during visits to the well-baby clinic when no vaccination is given. The vaccination schedule shows when the child receives each vaccination.
Invitations for vaccinating children over 4 years old
RIVM sends a letter to the children with an invitation to get a vaccination. The letter often already includes a scheduled appointment for the vaccination. That depends on the Youth Healthcare Services (JGZ) organisation. If the appointment is not scheduled at a convenient time, a new appointment can be made in consultation with the JGZ organisation during the period that the group vaccination is offered. The vaccination schedule shows when the child receives each vaccination.
No invitation from RIVM?
Is your baby 2 months old? And have the parents not yet received an invitation for the first vaccinations? Please contact the Department of Vaccine Provision and Prevention Programmes (DVP) in your area.
Each invitation you receive includes 1 or more invitation cards. Take these cards with you to the well-baby clinic or Youth Healthcare Services (JGZ) organisation.
The well-baby clinic or JGZ organisation sends the invitation cards back to RIVM. If RIVM does not receive the invitation card, then RIVM knows that your child has not yet had the vaccination and you will receive a reminder letter. Parents who indicate they do not want their child to be vaccinated will no longer receive reminders. After the child reaches the age of 14 months, RIVM does send another invitation letter for each subsequent vaccination. This is because parents may have changed their minds.
Lost invitation card
If you lose the invitation card, please request a new one from the Department of Vaccine Provision and Prevention Programmes (DVP). If you already have an appointment, you can go ahead as scheduled. If you have not received the new invitation card before the appointment, the JGZ organisation will use its own card to record the vaccination.
Vaccination is voluntary and free. Before the first vaccination, the doctor or nurse asks the parent and/or child for consent to give the vaccination(s). For more information, see the page on Your consent. Before vaccinations are given, the doctor always examines the baby. If the child is not feeling well, they may decide to postpone the vaccination until a later date.
An appointment to get childhood vaccinations can be made with Youth Healthcare Services (JGZ).
If you wish to view an overview of the vaccinations you have had, see the page Overzicht van vaccinaties opvragen.
Note!
Vaccination registration was gradually introduced from 1968 on. See Does RIVM have my data on file?. Were you born after these dates? Then your vaccination status is known. Were you born before these dates? No vaccination records were kept.
Would you like to talk to a doctor or nurse before your child is vaccinated? Make an appointment with your local Youth Healthcare Services. This talk is free of charge.