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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We went to tour a daycare facility in DC and when I asked if they require vaccines, the director said "no, but you have to fill out a form." Is this the status quo? It's possible that she meant to say that they do require vaccines and proper paperwork for any medical exemptions, and I will follow up. [/quote]

It is required in ALL centers, schools and family childcare homes in Washington, DC to be FULLY VACCINATED - this is a combined OSSE and Dept of Health regulation.  (I direct a DC center). Not only do they need their vaccinations, all parents must keep up with their child's vaccinations, getting them the correct # of times and at the correct intervals.

BUT... [b]if someone claims a religious exemption to all vaccinations, then we are require to enroll that child because we cannot discriminate based on religion.[/b]  I will say that in my years (since 2007) of directing in DC and my years of directing in another state before that for about 10 years, I've never had a parent claim religious exemption. So it's not common.  I wouldn't accept it for just one vaccine (like when parents were crazy about the MMR due to that irresponsible pediatrician who spread rumors) - if a parent is willing to get some vaccines, they need to get all vaccines.

BUT this doesn't include the covid vaccination - that isn't yet required by DOH in DC - I am sure it's coming but it's not there yet as a requirement.

So when that director said you need to fill out a form, she/he was assuming you were going to want a religious exemption, not that you were checking on the policy of vaccinations in DC.  [b]So ask it a different way "what is the policy on childhood vaccinations at your school" might get the director to tell you the policy. 
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OP here. Thank you so much for responding. A couple of follow ups - 1) Does it matter what the policy is, if licensing requires full vaccination (for regular childhood vaccines)? and 2) Is it appropriate to ask (or can I find online) what their non-medical exemption rate is?

1. A center's policy IS to follow OSSE, our licensing agency.  We must at the bare minimum follow them.  I'm sure that's the policy at MD and VA centers.

2. You can ask if they have any children on a religious exemption, sure.

3.  There are some babies who don't tolerate getting multiple shots at the same time, which is our the DOH sets it up.  So for those parents, they do a modified schedule but they are then taking their children nearly monthly to get a shot vs getting 3 or 4 at the same visit and not returning for another 3 to 6 months (in the early years, babies get different vaccinations at birth, 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months and 15 months).  So we were always able to maintain compliance (to continue with your license in DC you must remain at 95-98% compliance with vaccinations) because those babies would be done by 9 months of age, it just took them 3 months to get their 6 month old shots, and so forth.  [/quote]

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