Articles on: Parents Orientation

How to Use the Parent App


TABLE OF CONTENTS



How to Use ChildFriendly - Guide for Parents/Caregivers


Before going through this guide, ensure you have first watched the video or read the guide on how to set up your ChildFriendly account.

This training guide will teach you how to use the ChildFriendly parent app, including how to view your child's registration, daily activities, and payment information. You can also add or edit necessary information including allergies, medications, and food restrictions. Payments, billing, and tax slips are readily accessed here.



Logging In and Viewing the Dashboard


Once your center has confirmed your registration status, you can then view and submit information on the ChildFriendly app. 


  • Login to your account. 


NOTE**: If you have forgotten your password, click *“*Forget Password?***” and follow the prompts. 




If you need to change your password, once you are logged into the app:


  • Click the family name in the top right and select “Change Password.” 




  • If there are any outstanding agreements to sign, or reports (health or incident) to view and sign, a notification will appear in a bar at the top of the screen.
  • Once your child is registered, the Attendance area will show any real-time child activity at the center. If your child is signed into a room, this will display here. 
  • Activities will display any new journal activity. Scroll down to view more activity information.
  • Last Meal will list the last meal journal, if applicable.
  • RSVP will list if your child is Present or Absent.

*NOTE: If you have multiple children at the center, they will display separately.




Registration Information


Scroll down to view current registration information for your child. You can then click on this area to view more information, including any upcoming registrations. You will also be able to register your child for a new program in this area.




Quick Actions


The Quick Actions section lets you quickly and easily take a variety of actions, including sending a message, viewing more information about your child, viewing invoices and billing, or managing your family's profile.



Journals


  1. Click the Journals tab at the bottom of the screen. Alternatively, click the Menu button and select "Journal" from here.


This section shows all journal entries for your child, as well as any sign-offs. Here you can view any activities or other journal entries sent to you by staff. 


The **Sign Offs **tab is used to access any journals that require your digital signature, such as health and incident reports.


To view more detailed information on the Journals area, please view the Parent Journal guide.







  1. Click the **Agreements **tab at the top to view all signed agreements for your child/ren.
  2. Select your child’s name and click the arrow. The drop-down menu will show any signed agreements.




Signing Off on Medications


If there has been a health or incident report for your child at their daycare center or preschool, you will be able to view the report in the Sign Offs tab of the Journals module. View the Parents Journal training guide for detailed instructions.


If you have any medications to sign off on, this notification will display on the main screen.



  1. Click the notification to bring you to the medication area to approve.
  2. Scroll down to the "Guardian Digital Signature of Permission" area to digitally sign this and give approval for staff to administer medications or topical creams.





Financial - View Finances


  1. To access financial information, click the Menu, and then click the Financial drop-down menu.




  • Select the Ledger option to view an outline of your balances, invoices, and a breakdown of payment information, including any subsidy or grant  information.



  • The Finance tab displays a monthly breakdown of invoices and receipts. You can search and filter by date here as well.



  • If you have added your banking information already, you can make payments here for any outstanding invoices. For instance, to make a credit card payment, click Select Payment and then select Credit Card payment.  



  • You can also download any receipts for invoices paid by pre-authorized debit or credit card. 




Download Tax Receipt


  1. To find your yearly tax receipts, click the Tax Receipt option in the Financial menu. 
  2. Select the tax year in the top left.
  3. Click the Download Receipt icon to download and save the receipt.

*NOTE: Tax receipts will automatically be generated as soon as you have made a payment to the center.  



Students - Add Health Information


Now we will look at the child's profile area. Here, you can view all information about any children registered in the center’s system. If you need to update details, this can be done here. You can login at any time to add a new medication to your child’s file, as well as any allergies and medical conditions, or special needs.  


  1. First, if you have more than one child registered, ensure you have selected the child whom you wish you view information for, at the top.
  2. Scroll down and click the Children Info icon. Alternatively, click Menu>Children>Profile and then click on the child's profile to which you want to add information.
  3. To make any changes, click the "Edit" icon in the bottom right.
  4. Enter your child’s health care number. If it is already entered, ensure it is correct. 
  5. Under the Immunization section, if you would like to add your child’s immunization records, click Add Record to enter information.
  • Click the drop-down arrow to select the specific type. 
  • If the child requires more than one, select the next due date.
  1. To upload any images of your child's immunization records, click "Upload Files."





Add a New Medication


To add a new Medication:


  • In the Editing mode of the Child's profile, click the "+ Add Medication" icon.
  • Enter the Medication Name, the Type **of medication, **Purpose, and Dosage. It is important to specify whether this is a regular medication or an emergency medication (i.e. an inhaler to be used in the case of an asthma attack). If this is a regular medication or a short-term daily medication or cream, ensure you enter the Start Date and End Date of the medication as well as any Administration Times. 
  • The toggles at the bottom are used to select if this has been prescribed by the physician and if the medication is in the original container with the child’s name on it.
  • Your digital signature and date will save and display on the PDF.
  • Click the Save button in the bottom right once you have finished entering all information.





Add an Allergy or Medical Condition to a Child's Profile


To add an allergy or medical condition:


  1. Click "+ Add Medical Condition". 
  2. In the Condition Name field, enter the type of allergy or medical condition – i.e. Diabetes or Dairy Allergy. 
  3. In the Description field, enter a description of the allergy or condition, such as symptoms and severity. 
  4. Fill out the rest of the fields to help staff members best manage the allergy so they know what to do. 
  5. If Follow up is required, add this here.
  6. Click the Save button.




Special Needs


If your child has any special need:


  1. Click "+ Add Special need". 
  2. In the Special Need #1 field, enter a title i.e. Speech Therapy or Physical Disability.
  3. In the Description/Support Details field, enter a description of the special need and any supports required.
  4. If your child has more than one special need, click the ***+ Add Special need ***icon to enter details.
  5. Click the Save button.




Meal Restrictions


If there are any meal aversions or allergies, these can be selected under the Menu-Based Meal Restrictions section. 


  1. Select any prohibited foods from the list in order to restrict them from your child's meal plan.




Custom Information


Review the information in the Custom Information field.

For example, select Yes if you would like to add the supplemental meal fee.  


Save any changes with the Save button in the bottom right.





When you have finished adding or editing any information in your child's profile, it is very important that you scroll back and click the Save button in the bottom right of the screen. 




View Child's Attendance


Next, we’ll look at the Attendance area and how to report an absence.


  1. Click the Children drop-down from the Menu, and select Attendance.
  2. You can view all attendance records by day, with a total number of hours displayed at the top. Click through the arrows beside the date to view attendance by day.



Report a Child's Absence from Daycare or School


  1. Click the Children drop-down from the Menu, and select RSVP. The RSVP tab is used to report an absence from the center or to report an absence for school pick-up. 
  2. Ensure you are in the correct child's profile.. 
  3. Click the + Add Absence icon.
  4. In the From Date field: Select the date the child is absent. 
  5. In the To **Date **field, select the end date of the absence. If the absence is for an illness, both dates will likely be the same. If you know your child will be away for more than one day, such as for a holiday, enter the entire period here. 
  6. Select the Reason for Absence drop-down menu and select your reason. 
  7. Add any Notes if necessary. 
  8. NOTE: If this is a recurring absence, such as a weekly appointment, you can select the Recurring Weekly toggle. The To Date field will need to be a date in the future to ensure regular recurring absences are included in the system.
  9. Click the Add Absence icon to save the new absence.



Report an Absence from School Pick-Up


  1. To **report an absence for the child for a school pick-up:
  2. Click the + Add Absence icon.
  3. Click the School Pickup tab.
  4. Select the date the child will not need a school pick-up. 
  5. Add any Notes and use the recurring absence toggle if required. 

This will ensure the driver or pick-up caregiver is aware the child will not be picked up on this specific date. 




Members


The Members section displays any parents or guardians and their necessary information. Each parent or guardian is listed.


  1. If you need to add a new family member or portal member for your family, click the + icon at the bottom of the screen and enter all necessary details.
  2. Under the Authorization section, specify if the member has Full, Limited, or No pick-up authorization.




  1. To view and edit profile information, click on your name or the portal member who you wish to view. You are able to edit certain fields here, such as your name and address, occupation and work information. All other fields are locked. 
  2. The **Kiosk PIN **is used if the center allows the member to sign the child in. To view your pin, click the eye to reveal the pin. This is what is used to sign in your child at the center kiosk.




  • *NOTE: Only authorized sponsors can make payments. Portal members are ones that have access to use the app. If you need to give access to any new portal members, please reach out to your daycare center.




Add or Edit Payment Information


  1. If you need to add or change your payment information, select Menu > Payment Info.
  2. Now you can change or adjust payment information for your bank or credit card.  Select Allow Auto-Withdrawal of Outstanding Fees under the Bank Account section, if you want the payment to be taken out of your bank account automatically. You can then enter details. *NOTE: This option is highly convenient as it avoids needing to remember to make payments each month as well as potential late penalty payments. 
  3. Alternatively, select Add Credit Card **under the **Credit Card section to use a pre-authorized credit card payment.
  4. Remember to submit or save any changes.

*NOTE:  Please confirm your center is setup for pre-authorized payments or credit card before adding payment information.






Instant Messaging


If you need to message staff at the center for non-urgent issues, you can use the instant messaging feature. 


  1. Select the Messages icon at the bottom. Type your message and click the Send arrow. You will receive notifications of any messages or replies as long as you have notifications enabled on your mobile device.



Updated on: 10/02/2026

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