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Why can't my families see their children?

[For all Staff] Learn why families might be missing students in their account.

Audrey avatar
Written by Audrey
Updated over a week ago

This resource outlines a few things to check to troubleshoot visibility issues and reconnect the family with their child's profile.


Check permissions

Confirm the contact is listed with the correct permissions. To do this, navigate to the child's contact list and look for the contact type listed below the contact's name.

Each contact type has different permissions which could impact access to the child's profile. For example, the Approved Pickup contact type cannot send messages, so they should be listed as a Parent instead if they need to message.

If they are listed incorrectly, you can always click Edit to adjust their contact type.

Check for typos

A simple typo in a contact's listed email address or phone number can prevent access, so it's a good idea to double-check that this information is entered correctly.

If you notice a typo, you can update the contact's details as long as the account is not activated. If they create a new account with accurate information, simply share their child's 10-digit code so they can add the profile.

Confirm they are logged in correctly

If a contact can't access their child's profile, they might be in the wrong brightwheel account. Have them log out and then back in using the exact email or phone number you have on file.

Alternatively, you can provide their child's 10-digit code to help them add the student directly.

Check sibling profiles

To ensure a family can view all their students from a single account, make sure the contact's information is identical across their children's profiles at your program.

To achieve this, ensure they are added as an existing contact when linking them to subsequent sibling profiles


If this does not resolve the issue, providers or the family can reach out to the brightwheel Support Team for assistance.

Please note that brightwheel cannot directly grant access to profiles, but we can assist in troubleshooting the root cause. Ultimately, all changes must be program-initiated.

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