GPS Technology Allows for Contactless Curbside Sign-in/Out

According to a nationwide survey from the Bipartisan Policy Center, 75 percent of parents say one of their fears is exposing their child to coronavirus by attending a child care program. With child care centers beginning to reopen across the country, families are paying special attention to the precautions their centers are taking to ensure the health and well-being of their children and the staff who care for them. This is why it’s more important than ever for centers to leverage strategies that allow for fewer in-person, close-contact interactions.  

One way centers are doing this is by implementing software and applications that allow parents to use their smartphones to check their children in and out. Centers can use QR codes that parents scan with their phones, or even implement GPS technology that sends a message to the parent’s phone when they’re in range of the school and prompts them to sign in their child.  

Procare recently introduced QR code functionality with its Procare Connect and Procare Engage solutions, and is now the first child care management software platform to also offer a GPS-enabled check-in/out option: Curbside Contactless (GPS) Sign-in/Out.

Why use Curbside Contactless Sign-in/Out?

For centers, you can ensure children in your care are safely and securely checked in to your center or school without the need for close, in-person contact. It also helps limit any unnecessary foot traffic into your facility.

For parents, this new technology helps speed up the check-in process by enabling curbside drop-off. It also gives parents confidence that your facility is limiting interactions with all but critical staff within your center or school.

How does it work?

Curbside Contactless Sign-In/Out uses GPS technology that allows you to define a boundary where sign-ins can occur. When parents arrive within the GPS range you’ve specified, they’ll receive a prompt on their smartphone through the Procare app that asks them to sign in their child. This means parents can answer kiosk questions and sign for their children without needing to enter the building or touch any devices.

Where can I get more information about this exciting update?

We’ve created a help page with all the information you need to get started. We’ve also developed a help page for parents to assist if they have questions.

I know you just launched QR code functionality – can I also use that?

Absolutely. Curbside GPS & QR code functionalities can be used simultaneously, which increases the number of check-in locations and options. More information about the QR code functionality can be found here.

What about additional needs like the ability to log health checks and track movement between classrooms?

COVID-19 has spurred a number of changes in child care policies and procedures, which include instituting regular temperature checks, tracking children’s movements and enabling touchless ways to collect tuition. 

We’ve created interactive guides for each of our main products to show you how you can use them to address COVID-19 related needs. All you have to do is click on the link to the product you want to learn more about (see below). That link will pull up a guide that allows you to select the challenge you’d like to solve, after which, you’ll be taken to information on how you can leverage Procare to solve that challenge:

• Procare Connect
• Procare Select
• SchoolCare Works
• KidReports

If you don’t have a comprehensive digital solution to handle your sign-in/out needs, we’ve got you covered. Download and print our traditional daycare sign-in sheet.