What parents think about the routine vaccination

Most parents have seen or heard something about vaccines for babies and young children in the last 12 months 4 Source: Ipsos. Q3. Have you seen, heard, or read anything about vaccines for babies or young children in the last 12 months?
Base: All respondents (n=3272)<br>

Of 76% parents who had seen or heard something about childhood vaccines in the last 12 months, most came across information about vaccines from healthcare professionals/NHS sources 5 Source: Ipsos. Q4. And where did you see, read or hear about vaccines for babies or young children?
Base: All respondents who have seen, read or heard something about vaccines for babies or young children in the last 12 months (n=2502) Top 15 mentions only<br>

The majority of parents who have seen, heard or read about vaccines say the information was in favour of vaccines 6 Source: Ipsos. Q5. Overall, was the information that you saw…
Base: All respondents who have seen, read or heard something about vaccines for babies or young children in the last 12 months (n=2502)<br>

Three-quarters (76%) say they have seen or heard something that made them feel it was important for their baby or young child to have their vaccine 7 Source: Ipsos. Q6. Is there anything you have seen, read, or heard that made you feel it was important for your baby or young child to have their vaccine?
Base: All respondents (n=3272)<br>

Healthcare professionals and the NHS remain the top sources of information that made parents feel it was important for their baby or child to be vaccinated 8 Source: Ipsos. Q6C. And where did you see or hear this information which made you feel it was important for your baby or young child to have their vaccine(s)?
Base: All respondents who have seen/read/heard something about a specific vaccine that made them feel it was important for their baby/ young child to be vaccinated (n=2511) Top 15 mentions only<br>

Around one-third of parents (30%) have come across something that made them concerned or worried about their child having a vaccine 9 Source: Ipsos. Q7. Is there anything you have seen, read or heard that would make you concerned or worried about your baby or young child having a vaccine?
Base: All respondents (n=3272)<br>

Parents who say they have seen or heard concerning information about baby/child vaccination most often refer to social media as the source 10 Source: Ipsos. Q7C. And where did you see or hear this information which would make you feel concerned about your baby or young child having a vaccine?
Base: All respondents who have seen/heard something about vaccines that made them feel concerned about their baby/child being vaccinated (n=1024) Top 10 mentions<br>

The NHS and healthcare professionals are parents’ most trusted sources on vaccines 11 Source: Ipsos. Q23 Here are some sources of information on vaccines. Please order these based on how much you trust them.
Base: All respondents who ranked the sources of information (n=3072) % of parents including the source in their 3 most trusted sources of information<br>

Most parents recognise the seriousness of most diseases that vaccines protect against 12 Source: Ipsos. Q8. How serious or not do you think it could be if your baby or young child caught the following disease?
Base: All respondents (n=3272)<br>

Nearly all parents say their child aged between 2 months and 3 years and 3 months has had at least some of the vaccines offered 13 Source: Ipsos. Q11. Has your child who is currently aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months received any vaccines?
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months (n=1730)<br>

Of the 43 (less than 3%) parents whose child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months has not had any vaccines yet, only 30% don’t want their child to have any vaccines (around 1% of all parents) 14 Source: Ipsos. Q11B. And which of the following, if any, applies to your child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months who has not received any vaccines?
Base: All respondents asked with a child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months who has not received any vaccines (n=43)<br>

Three-quarters (75%) of parents with a child aged between 3 years 4 months and 5 years say their child has had both the MMR vaccine and the pre-school booster 15 Source: Ipsos. Q12. Has your child who is currently aged between 3 years 4 months and 5 months had either or both of their pre-school vaccines yet: that is, the second dose of MMR and the pre-school booster?
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 3 years 4 months and 5 years (n=1542)<br>

Over half of parents (62%) automatically had all their child’s vaccines done 16 Source: Ipsos. Q17. When considering vaccines offered to your child aged between [INSERT DSAMPLE AGE RANGE], which of the following best applies/applied to you?
Base: All respondents (n=3272)<br>

For 110 (7%) parents whose child hadn’t received any of their pre-school vaccines, this is most commonly due to them not receiving an invitation yet 17 Source: Ipsos. Q12B. And which of the following, if any, applies to your child who has not received any of their pre-school vaccines?
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 3 years 4 months and 5 years who has not received either of their pre-school vaccines (n=110)<br>

Nearly all parents feel they had enough information to make an informed decision regarding their child’s vaccines 18 Source: Ipsos. Q14. Thinking about any vaccines that your child aged [INSERT DSAMPLE AGE RANGE] has been offered, did you feel that you had enough information to make an informed decision?
Base: All respondents (n=3272)<br>

Healthcare professionals remain the most common source of information for baby and young child vaccines 19 Source: Ipsos. Q15. Have you received any information about baby/young child vaccines from any of these sources?
Base: All respondents (n=3272) NET healthcare professional/NHS: 77% (80% amongst women)
NET online: 40% (46% amongst those aged 25-34)
NET family and friends: 21% (24% among those aged 25-34)
NET social media only: 1% Top 10 mentions<br>

Around half (51%) of parents with a child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months say they talked to a health visitor about vaccines before their child’s first vaccine 20 Source: Ipsos. Q16B. Which health professionals did you discuss vaccines with before your child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months had their first baby vaccine or was due to have these vaccines?
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months (n=1730)<br>

Most parents with a child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months talked about vaccines with a health professional before their child’s first vaccination appointment 21 Source: Ipsos. Q16. Before your child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months had their first baby vaccines or was due to have these vaccines, when did a health professional first talk to you about these?
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months (n=1730)<br>

Most parents with a child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months who discussed vaccination with a health professional say they had already decided their child would get all the vaccines offered 22 Source: Ipsos. Q16A. Before the discussion with this/these health professionals, which of the following best describes how you felt about your baby having the vaccines? You felt…
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months who had spoken to a health professional about their child’s first vaccines (n=1569)<br>

After receiving information from a healthcare professional, around half of parents (53%) say they felt more confident about their baby having their first vaccines 23 Source: Ipsos. Q16C. After receiving information from a healthcare professional, would you say you felt…
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months who had spoken to a health professional about their child’s first vaccines (n=1553)<br>

Fifteen percent of parents who had a discussion with a health professional reported that they had changed their mind in favour of vaccination 24 Source: Ipsos. Q16D. And as a result of receiving information from a healthcare professional, did you change your mind on whether or not to vaccinate your baby?
Base: All respondents asked about their child aged between 2 months and 3 years 3 months who had spoken to a health professional about their child’s first vaccines (n=1553)<br>

Most parents think vaccines work for children and are safe 25 Source: Ipsos. Q18 Here are some things that other people have said about vaccines for children. How much do you agree or disagree with each one?
Base: All respondents (n=3272) I think vaccines work for children I trust vaccines for children Vaccines are properly tested before being given to children I am concerned about the ingredients of vaccines for children Vaccines weaken a child’s natural immune system (the immune system is the system in your body that protects you from diseases)<br>

Most parents were satisfied with their child’s vaccination experience © Ipsos | UKHSA Childhood Vaccines Survey | March 2025 | INTERNAL USE ONLY 26 Source: Ipsos. Q19 Thinking about the most recent vaccine your child aged between [INSERT DSAMPLE AGE RANGE], has received, how satisfied or dissatisfied were you with ..
Base: All respondents with a child aged between 2 months and 5 years who has had at least one vaccine (n = 3111). The visit overall The information provided at the visit The waiting room facilities at the vaccine visit The waiting time before the appointment The time you had during the appointment to discuss the vaccine(s) with the nurse The behaviour or attitude of the health professional The time you had during the appointment to get yourself/your baby read after the vaccine(s) The behaviour or attitude of the reception staff<br>

GP surgeries are the preferred venue for child vaccinations 27 Source: Ipsos. Q22 Please indicate below how much you agree or disagree with the following statements
Base: All respondents (n=3272) I like to be reminded about upcoming appointments by text or email Pharmacies would make a convenient venue for baby/infant vaccines I don’t mind travelling to have my child vaccinated but I have to be careful of cost<br>

Technical details a total of 3,272 parents in the UK completed the survey online between 16 January – 12 February 2025. To be eligible, parents needed to have at least one child aged between 2 months and less than 5 years
2,493 respondents were recruited from IIS (Ipsos Interactive Services) access panel and panel partners, and the remaining 779 were recruited from the Ipsos Knowledge Panel
interlocking quotas were applied on the following variables, for sample recruited through IIS panel and partner panels: gender, age, UK nations, and English regions. These quotas were based on ONS population figures for households with a child under the age of 5
no quotas were applied to the sample achieved through the Ipsos Knowledge Panel, as this panel utilises random probability unclustered address-based sampling
interlocking weighting based on ONS population figures was applied on the following variables: age and work status within nations, and English regions. The results are representative of the population of parents with a child under the age of 5 in the UK and in each of the four nations, in terms of age and work status within nations, and English regions
this work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for market research, ISO 20252<br>