Security codes, labels and barcodes

Labels and security codes are what turn a register into a safeguarding system: every child labelled, every adult accounted for, and a matching code required to take a child home. Here’s how the pieces fit, and where barcodes come in.

Security codes and labels

1. Choose your security mode: one code for the whole family, or a different code per child. With a family code, one set of guardian labels prints and any guardian can collect any of the family’s children; with per-child codes, each child’s label has its own code and a matching guardian label prints for each. Family codes are simpler; per-child codes are stricter.
2. At collection, the guardian presents their label and the leader checks the codes match. Most kids’ workers know most parents, but the code is for the Sunday when they don’t, the new volunteer, the visiting grandparent, the busy week, and it makes “parents collect their children” the polite default rather than an awkward conversation.
3. The label types, chosen per profile: a child label with the security code, the guardian’s collection label, a leader label, a name label for any adult staying in the group, and bag labels for the very young (nappy bags have a way of wandering). Labels carry the logo from your global settings, and MADI can print on the child label, which is why agreed codes beat full medical descriptions on something publicly visible.
4. The principle behind it all: every grown-up in the room wears a label, leader, guardian or helper, so an adult without one has a polite question to answer, and the whole flow of check-ins and check-outs sits in the audit trail.

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Scanning barcodes

1. Child labels and e-tickets carry a barcode, and scanning one checks the person in or out; ideal when registration happened earlier and the room door just needs a quick scan at handover.
2. The device camera works as a scanner: from the kiosk’s search screen, tap the camera icon (use an up-to-date Chrome if the icon doesn’t appear), allow camera access, and hold the barcode in view. The same code won’t scan twice in a row, which prevents accidental double-scans.
3. A dedicated scanner is the comfortable option for labels on wriggling children: it connects by USB or Bluetooth and behaves like a keyboard, so launch the kiosk, make sure the search box is selected, and scan.
4. Scanners are entirely optional. Tapping names on the register does exactly the same job, and for a room full of toddlers it’s often the more dignified choice.

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Good to know

• If a child number field is set in your global settings, each child gets a permanent unique number that prints on their label and the guardian’s, so a guardian can be called to the crèche from the auditorium screen by number, with no names displayed.
• Printers and label sizes are a hardware conversation, and recommendations date quickly, so before buying anything raise a ticket via the contact form below and our UK team will advise on current kit for your devices; you can run check-in with no labels at all while you decide.
• On the day, reprinting labels and manual check-ins live in the Leader Register; see running check-in kiosks on the day.