> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://pigeonholeapp.co.uk/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Adding Parents & Carers
> How to add new parents and carers to your nursery setting.
# Adding Parents & Carers
There are two ways to add a parent or carer: directly from the Parents & Carers list, or from a child's profile. Both workflows allow you to configure personal details, relationship types, and billing settings.
## Adding from the Parents & Carers List
To add a new parent or carer, click the **Add Parent/Carer** button in the top right corner of the parent/carer list.
### Personal Details
The profile creation form collects the following information:
* **Profile Picture**: Upload a photo for easy identification
* **First Name**: The parent/carer's first name
* **Surname**: The parent/carer's last name
* **Email**: Contact email address for communications and system access
* **Phone Number**: Primary contact number
* **Date of Birth**: Optional field for the parent/carer's date of birth
### Children Relationships
The Children section allows you to establish relationships between the parent/carer and specific children. For each relationship you can configure:
* **Child Selection**: Choose which child this parent/carer is associated with
* **Relationship Type**: Select the relationship:
* **Mother**: Biological or adoptive mother
* **Father**: Biological or adoptive father
* **Grandmother**: The child's grandmother
* **Grandfather**: The child's grandfather
* **Other**: Any other caring relationship (e.g., guardian, step-parent)
* **Bill Payer**: Toggle to indicate if this person is responsible for paying bills for this child. Bill payers will be sent invoices.
* **Parental Responsibility**: Toggle to indicate if this person has legal parental responsibility for this child
You can add multiple children relationships for a single parent/carer by using the **Add Child** dropdown.
A parent/carer can have different relationship types, billing responsibilities, and parental responsibility settings for different children.
## Adding from a Child's Profile
You can also add parent/carer relationships directly from a child's profile:
1. Navigate to a child's profile in the Admin Portal
2. Click on the **Parents** tab
3. Click **Add Relative** to create a new parent/carer relationship
### Two Workflows
When adding a parent/carer from the child's profile, you have two options:
#### Option 1: Select an Existing Parent/Carer
If the parent/carer already exists in the system:
1. Use the **Select Existing Relative** dropdown
2. Choose the parent/carer from the list
3. Configure the relationship details (relationship type, bill payer, parental responsibility)
4. Click **Save**
#### Option 2: Create a New Parent/Carer
If the parent/carer does not exist in the system yet:
1. Leave the **Select Existing Relative** field empty
2. Fill in the new parent/carer details:
* First Name
* Surname
* Email
3. Configure the relationship details
4. Click **Save**
This creates both the new parent/carer profile and establishes the relationship with the child in one step.
## Login Status and Invitations
After adding a parent or carer, you can invite them to access the parent portal.
### Status Indicators
The parent/carer list shows the current login status for each person:
* **Last Login Date**: Shows the date and time when the parent/carer last logged in (e.g., "10 Feb 2026 14:30")
* **Invite Sent**: A blue mail icon indicates an invitation email has been sent but the parent/carer has not logged in yet
* **Dash (-)**: No invitation has been sent yet
### Sending Invitations
To grant a parent/carer access to the parent portal:
1. Click the **More Actions** (...) button on the parent/carer row
2. Select **Send Invite**
3. The parent/carer will receive an email with a login link
Once the parent/carer logs in using the link, they will automatically be connected to their profile and gain access to view their children's information, invoices, and funding forms.