Configure Children's Check-In

This guide covers setting up children's rooms with age-based assignment, configuring the age threshold, running children's check-in during a service, and using the pickup console to safely release children to authorised guardians.

Prerequisites

• At least one Service Pattern configured in Settings → Services
• Member profiles with Date of Birth populated for children (this determines automatic room assignment)
• SUPER_ADMIN, LEAD_PASTOR, or PASTOR role for settings; VOLUNTEER role or above for check-in operations

Phase 1 — Set Up Rooms

1. Navigate to Settings → Gather → Rooms
2. Click “Add Room”
3. Fill in the room details:
   • Name — e.g., “Nursery”, “Toddlers”, “Elementary”
   • Age Min — minimum age in years (e.g., 0 for Nursery)
   • Age Max — maximum age in years (e.g., 2 for Nursery)
   • Capacity — maximum number of children the room can hold
   • Tag Prefix — a short code printed on security tags (e.g., “N” for Nursery)
   • Sort Order — display order in the room list
4. Click “Save”
5. Repeat for each age group. A typical setup:
   • Nursery — ages 0–2, prefix “N”
   • Toddlers — ages 2–3, prefix “T”
   • Pre-K — ages 4–5, prefix “P”
   • Elementary — ages 6–8, prefix “E”
   • Tweens — ages 9–10, prefix “W”
   • Preteens — ages 11–12, prefix “R”

Phase 2 — Configure the Age Threshold

The childrenAgeMax setting determines at what age a person is treated as a child versus an adult for check-in purposes. The default is 12.

1. Navigate to Settings → Church
2. Find the Children's Age Maximum field in Tenant Configuration
3. Set the value (e.g., 12 means anyone 12 and under is a child)
4. Click “Save”

Phase 3 — Check In Children During a Service

1. Start the service from Gather → Calendar (status must be ACTIVE)
2. Navigate to Gather → Check-In → Select the active service
3. When you check in a member whose age falls at or below the children's age maximum, they are automatically flagged as a child
4. The system suggests a Room based on their age and the room age ranges you configured
5. Confirm the room assignment or override it manually
6. A security tag number is generated with the room prefix (e.g., “N-1042”)
7. Print the security tag — one copy for the child and one for the parent/guardian

Phase 4 — Pickup Console

Use the Pickup Console at the end of the service to safely release children to their guardians.

1. Navigate to Gather → Children's Pickup
2. Select the active or recently completed service
3. The console shows:
   • Rooms — each room card with the count of children still checked in
   • Pickup Queue — parents who have requested pickup
4. When a parent arrives, verify their security tag number
5. Click “Release” next to the child's name to mark them as picked up
6. The room count decreases and the child moves to the “Released” list

What's Next