Help & frequently asked questions

The same help that lives in the PlaySafe app, kept in sync with every build.

How does verification work?

Your school gives every family a one-time invite code. Redeeming a valid code marks your account "verified" for that school and starts your family — the other adults you invite into your family are verified through it, with no second code. Verified means a code from your school was redeemed for the family — PlaySafe does not run background checks or check identity documents, so always use the same judgment you would with any new family.

Who can see my address?

Your street address is shown on your profile to other verified parents at your school. On events, it is stricter: everyone sees only your neighborhood or street name, and your exact address unlocks only for families you approve for that event. Private groups can also choose to share addresses among members — that is set by the group's creator.

Who can see my child's information?

Only verified parents in your school community. A child's card shows their name, grade, fun facts, and the icon or photo you chose. Allergy and medical notes are visible only to you, and are passed to the host only when your child joins their event.

How do approvals work?

When you ask to join an event, the host sees your family and approves or declines — unless the host turned on auto-accept. Approving is also what unlocks the host's address and phone number for you. If a host declines, you can send a fresh request from the same event page \u2014 tap “Request again.” Nothing about an event is shared with unapproved families. And when a request covers more than one child, the host approves each child on their own — if only some of your kids get in, you are told exactly who.

Can I ask the host a question before signing up?

Yes — every parent-posted event has a "Questions for the host" board on its page. Ask about parking, siblings, or drop-off; one answer helps every parent wondering the same thing. Tap a question to reply. Links and phone numbers can't be posted (the app will explain why, and point you to the safe way). Questions are visible to everyone who can see the event, so keep private things — allergies, health, addresses — in your sign-up note, which only the host sees. The host can pin a helpful answer, hide a post, or close the board, and anything unkind can be reported. School-posted events don't have boards — contact the school office for those.

What is a PlaySafe family?

Your school verification code starts your family. Everyone in it — you, plus the adults you invite — shares the same kid profiles and can host and join events for them. Invite a spouse or another guardian (18 or over) from Profile → My family: add their name and email, confirm they are a parent or guardian of your kids, and they create their account inside your family. No second code needed. A family can have up to 4 adults.

What happens if someone leaves or is removed from a family?

Family membership is how invited adults are verified, so leaving — or being removed by the family's founder — ends that verification right away. The kids and their profiles stay with the family. To use PlaySafe again, that adult would need a verification code from the school to start a new family of their own. The founder (the adult who used the school code) can also dissolve the family entirely; they keep their own verification and the kids.

When can I see the host's phone number?

Hosts add their phone number in Profile — it's required before they can post an event, so you always have a way to reach them. The number itself stays hidden until the host approves you for the event; then Call and Text buttons appear on the event page, next to the address. If your plans change and you withdraw, the number locks again.

What if my child can't make it?

Plans change — open the event and tap "Can't make it." If more than one of your children is signed up, you choose which ones can't come; the rest stay signed up. Removed children's spots open back up for other families, and the host is told either way. If none of your children are coming anymore, your request is withdrawn and the host's exact address locks again. Still waiting on approval? The same spot lets you withdraw the request. And if plans change back, you can send a fresh request from the event page.

Can I add another child after I've signed up?

Yes — open the event and tap "Add another child" to pick any of your children who aren't on the sign-up yet. If your request is still waiting, they're added right away. If you're already approved, additions go to the host for a quick OK (unless the event auto-accepts — then they're added on the spot, if there's room). It also works in reverse: a child you marked "can't make it" earlier can be added back the same way.

How do alerts and phone notifications work?

Everything lands in your in-app Alerts list \u2014 join requests, approvals, changes, and cancellations. If you allow notifications for PlaySafe in your phone's settings, those alerts also arrive as phone notifications, so you don't have to open the app to see them. You can turn the phone banners off in your Profile and keep just the in-app list.

How do I find events at other schools or groups?

Your Home feed shows your own school and your groups. To look further, use the search box on Home — results from other schools and groups appear in their own section, and you can open one and ask to join like any other event. Those requests always go to the host for approval, and nothing about the event, including the address, is shared until they say yes.

Can I put an event on my calendar?

Yes — events you are hosting, and events your family is approved for, have an "Add to Google Calendar" button on the event page. It opens Google Calendar with the event filled in; just save it there.

How do I change or cancel an event I'm hosting?

Open your event from My Events to edit its details, or cancel it to call it off. Families who signed up are told when an event is cancelled. Cancelled events stay marked as cancelled in My Events — swipe one sideways to clear it from your list.

What behavior is not tolerated?

Harassment or bullying, sharing invite codes, posting another family's address or photos outside the app, using PlaySafe to arrange contact outside the community, and any sexual or inappropriate conduct involving children — ever. Violations mean removal from PlaySafe, and anything that suggests a child is in danger will be reported to the authorities.

What if something goes wrong?

In an emergency, call 911 first — in-app reports are not monitored around the clock. For anything else, tell the host, contact your school office, and let us know through your school's PlaySafe contact. You can also sign out or remove your children's profiles at any time in the Profile tab.