What it does
Messages are conversations between a family and a provider they're connected to. Because messaging hangs off your connections, you can only ever message someone you've both agreed to work with — there's no way to be contacted by a stranger, and ending a connection ends the conversation.
Notifications are the bell in the top-right corner. They tell you when something happened that concerns you: a connection request, a new message, a session booked, an absence reported, a payment recorded or approved, or a piece of work marked.
Where to find it
- Messages — navigation: Schedule → Messages, URL
/dashboard/messages - Notifications — the bell icon in the header, on every screen
Step by step
Send a message
- Go to Messages (
/dashboard/messages). - Choose a conversation from the list on the left.
- Type in the box at the bottom and press Enter to send. Use Shift + Enter for a new line without sending.
Opening a conversation marks its messages as read, so the unread count clears itself.
Start talking to someone new
There's no "new message" button, and that's deliberate: conversations exist for connections. If you can't see someone in your list, connect with them first — see Connections.
Read your notifications
- Select the bell in the header. A number on the bell shows how many are unread.
- Select any notification to mark it read and jump to whatever it's about.
- Mark all read clears the lot.
What each screen shows
Messages is a two-pane view: conversations on the left with the other person's name, the last message and an unread badge; the selected conversation on the right, your messages aligned to one side and theirs to the other, oldest at the top. On a phone you see one pane at a time, with a way back to the list.
The notification panel lists the most recent items with a dot against anything unread. When there's nothing waiting it says you're all caught up.
Tips and good to know
- Messages sit alongside the records they're about, so "how did Maya get on with fractions?" is one click from the marks and the attendance.
- Notifications never contain anything private beyond a short preview — the detail lives behind the link, which still requires you to be signed in.
- If you'd rather not be messaged by a provider any more, end the connection. That closes the conversation along with their access.
- Nothing here is a substitute for urgent contact. Use the phone for anything that can't wait.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to try | | --- | --- | | My conversation list is empty | Messaging opens up once you're connected — see Connections. | | I can't message a provider I found in the directory | You need an accepted connection first. | | The unread badge won't clear | Open the conversation; that marks its messages read. If a number persists, refresh the page. | | Enter added a new line instead of sending | Check you aren't holding Shift — Shift + Enter is the deliberate "new line" combination. | | A notification links somewhere I can't open | Your access may have changed since it was sent — for example a connection ended. |