SIMS Parent App Lite

[enjay]

Does anyone have this operational? We're very keen to launch here, but there are a few specific things we need to know first:

* can we add our own choice of fields, including user-defined fields, to what the parents see?

* when both parents live with the child, can they see and update their partner's details?

* with separated parents, does it hide their ex's details?

* would separated parents see all the emergency contacts' details?

* is it possible to set up and initially only invite a few parents for final testing?

 

I figured asking on here would be easier than subjecting myself to the Capita sales pitch!

[MkII]

* can we add our own choice of fields, including user-defined fields, to what the parents see?

 

Don't think so?

 

* when both parents live with the child, can they see and update their partner's details?

 

You can only edit your own or the child's details if you have permission

 

* with separated parents, does it hide their ex's details?

 

See screenshot

 

* would separated parents see all the emergency contacts' details?

 

See above

 

* is it possible to set up and initially only invite a few parents for final testing?

 

Yes

 

All SIMS contacts are uploaded. You can select down to individual level who to invite

[enjay]

Thanks @MkII

 

So, the App uploads all contacts from SIMS, regardless of priority, and I then choose which contacts to invite. That makes sense, although could be time-consuming working out which priority 2 contacts are non-resident parents (who should be invited) and neighbours (who shouldn't).

 

What I don't understand is how I select which contacts are visible once you've logged in. Our students have their parents as priority 1 or 2, and then various friends, family members, childminders, etc. as priority 2 and 3 contacts. So, two questions on this - firstly, if you can only edit your own details, do the parents have to email the school rather than use the App to inform us of changes to the spouse or neighbour's phone number? Secondly, if parents can see all contacts, how do we stop divorced parents from seeing their ex's new partner?

 

Does the "parental consent" section in your screenshot relate to the tickboxes in section 12 of the student details? Related question, could we use this to collect consent to use photographs on our website, or do we need a genuine signature for that purpose?

[MkII]

I haven't seen such granular control over invites. For parents you can't even see which pupils they're guardians of.

 

You can only edit your own details. I can't remember but I think only P1 contacts are invited to the app.

 

The "Only self" option is to hide information from spouses. That's a global setting strangely.

 

Parental consent section.. see attached screenshot.

Consent collection: correct

 

[enjay]

Making the "only self" option global is crazy. Obviously, we need to enable that as we cannot show separated parents each other's details, but this also means parents who are together can't view/confirm/correct their spouse's details, nor can they see the details we have at P2 or P3 for granny/neighbour/childminder/etc.

 

Also, the invites only going to P1 is limiting. Many of our parents (both resident and non-resident) are priority 2 simply because it is more convenient for us to contact the other parent first, perhaps the work nearer to the school, therefore we have listed them as P2. I'd prefer to be able to select which P2 contacts we invite and which we don't.

 

Actually, now I think about, I don't see how the Parent App can actually be used for data collection, as a) there's no way of getting the invite/information to a non-resident parent who is listed as P2, and b) there's no way of showing a P1 parent the information we have for the P2 or P3 neighbour/childminder. Am I missing something?

[Ma2]

Parental responsibility plus any priority can be invited to the platform, and data collection sheets only seen by those with P1 or P2. The "Lives at this address" filter is on by default, but you can open this to globally allow non-resident parents. Perhaps change to P3 those who shouldn't see. "Only see self" can also be set to prevent partners changing each others details.

[clangstaffnhts]

With regards to the 'Contact can only see self' option - would this result in a data breach if divorced parents were able to see each others contact details?

 

It seems ridiculous that Capita would launch a product to schools with the default option resulting in a potential data breach for the school! Why would the option be there at all if there was a risk of a data breach?

 

Any clarification around this would be useful.

@GrumbleDook can you offer any guidance on this?

[enjay]

With regards to the 'Contact can only see self' option - would this result in a data breach if divorced parents were able to see each others contact details?

 

That is one of our concerns too. Also, a child who has mum, dad and mum's new partner listed in SIMS, but we obviously don't want to give dad the mobile number for mum's new partner.

[Ma2]

There are options to at least cover the requirements for GDPR, which covers the EU area of the globe.

[tracyousedale]

In general, is this worth having or not really?

[jmak]

I signed up in May - no sign of it yet.... So not much use of you need it in a hurry.

[tracyousedale]

Ok, thanks - may wait a bit longer then!

[clangstaffnhts]

In general, is this worth having or not really?

@tracyousedale I would be tempted to hold off. We have committed to using this as it seemed like a great option for us to manage data collection securely and our initial testing worked without issue.

 

However on launching on a wider level in school we've had issue after issue with this - Capita have provided us with factually incorrect information regarding the SIMS Parent capability as well as their being on going technical errors in their system that we have been waiting weeks with solution yet to be provided.

 

The potential is huge however it comes down to Capitas poor customer service on this one.

[tracyousedale]

Sounds like it was a rush job to have something available in time for the GDPR changes but I think we will definitely wait a bit longer and hope the teething issues get sorted.

Thanks for your reply

[enjay]

I signed up in May - no sign of it yet.... So not much use of you need it in a hurry.

 

Really? I signed up a few weeks back and got my activation codes within a few days...

[tracyousedale]

there are a few threads which mention alternatives - I may have a look at those before we make a final decision