Family Management

Overview

In d6+, Families are used to group learners who share the same household or parents (e.g., siblings or foster home residents). Proper family grouping is essential for data integrity, as it prevents duplicate parent profiles and ensures that school fee billing is consolidated under a single reference code.

Navigation Path

• Manage Family Names: My School > Parents > Families

• Enroll/Link Learners: My School > Learners > Learners

Purpose of Feature

• Consolidated Billing: Parents receive one statement for all children in the school, using a single family code.

• Efficient Communication: Ensures that newsletters and SMS notifications are sent once per household rather than once per child.

• Data Accuracy: Updates to parent contact details automatically reflect across all linked learner profiles.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Changing a Family Name

The family name is a display convention. While it defaults to the parent's surname, it can be customized to avoid confusion.

• Best Practice: If surnames differ, use a combination such as ParentSurname (LearnerSurname)—e.g., Schoeman (van der Merwe).

• Search: Use the "Search for families" dropdown (Family Code/Name) or type directly into the search bar for instant filtering.

• Edit: Select the radio button next to the family, click Edit, update the name, and click Save.

2. Linking a New Learner to a New Family

Use this when the learner is the first member of their household to join the school.

1. Navigate to My School > Learners > Learners and click the Register learner button.

2. In Step 1 (Family Information), select the New Family option.

3. Click Continue to move through the 6-step enrollment process.

3. Linking a New Learner to an Existing Family

Use this for siblings of learners already enrolled at the school.

1. Click the Register Learner button in the Learners module.

2. In Step 1, use the dropdown arrows to search for the Existing Family by code or name.

3. Selecting an existing family automatically pulls the parent/guardian data into the new learner's profile, saving time and preventing duplicates.

4. Linking an Existing Learner to a New Family

This is necessary for changes in legal guardianship, such as adoptions, foster care placements, or divorces.

1. Search for the learner using the Search bar.

2. Click the Edit icon (notepad and pencil) or the radio button followed by Edit.

3. Locate the family selection dropdown and choose New Family.

4. Click Continue. The system will jump to Step 4 of the enrollment process to allow you to finalize the new household details.

5. Complete the process through to Step 6 and save.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why should I link siblings to an existing family instead of creating a new one? Creating a new family for a sibling results in "orphaned" accounts. The parents will receive two separate invoices and double communications, and you will have to update contact details in two places instead of one.

Can I change a learner's family back if I made a mistake? Yes. You can edit the learner’s profile and select the original family from the "Existing Family" list to restore the previous link.

What happens to school fee balances when I move a learner to a new family? Moving a learner to a new family does not automatically move historical debt. Financial adjustments should be coordinated with the finance department to ensure the correct accountable person is billed.

Restrictions & Reasons

1. Sequential Enrollment

• Restriction: You cannot skip any of the 6 steps during learner enrollment.

• Reason: This ensures that critical data (medical, parent, and emergency info) is captured before the learner is made active, which is a requirement for school safety and LURITS reporting.

2. Family Name Length

• Restriction: While names are customizable, avoid excessively long descriptions.

• Reason: Extremely long family names may be truncated on certain financial statements or mailing labels.