Head lice in schools and childcare centres

Head lice (also known as pediculosis capitis) is not a notifiable condition and head lice do not transmit any infectious diseases. Head lice are transmitted by having head-to-head contact with someone who has head lice. This happens frequently in families, schools and childcare centres.

The minimum period of exclusion from primary schools and children's services centres for infectious diseases cases and contacts is regulated by the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019. Exclusion periods are used to protect public health by preventing or containing outbreaks of infectious conditions common in schools/children's service centres. The school exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services can be viewed on the department’s website.

Although head lice do not spread disease, they are included on the school exclusion table. The exclusion criteria for head lice should be interpreted as: At the end of the school day, provide the child with a note to take home to tell their parents that they have head lice. Children may return to school after treatment has commenced.

There is no requirement in the Regulations for a clearance certificate to be issued either by a general practitioner or a municipal council. The exact wording of these regulations is can be found in the Regulations: Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019.

School head lice programs

There is no requirement for schools to undertake head lice inspection programs. However, if schools wish to do so, they can conduct visual checks only without physical contact which:

do not require parent/carer consent
are made by people authorised by the principal, for example, classroom teachers.

Head lice inspections involving the physical examination of a student:

require written parent/carer consent, usually obtained at enrolment
are made by people authorised by the principal, for example, teachers.

Further information about head lice checks in schools and examples of documents to use are available in the Department of Education’s Head Lice policy.

Parents should be encouraged to frequently check their children for head lice using inexpensive white hair conditioner on dry hair. This type of regular inspection by parents will help control head lice in your community. Dry hair examinations alone are of little benefit in the control of head lice. If lice are found during an inspection, the child should then be treated (see below for information about treatment options).

Further information on head lice

See Head lice identification and treatment for further information about how to look for head lice and treatment options.
See Frequently asked questions for general information about head lice.

Head lice presentation for parents and carers

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Head lice presentation for children

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Reviewed 13 June 2024