--- title: "Turn off parent messaging" description: "Make the app one-way for families, so parents read announcements and the feed but can't send messages." type: guide updated: 2026-09-06 canonical_url: https://help.nestlicare.com/owners/communication/turn-off-parent-messaging roles: ["super_admin"] platforms: [web, ios, android] --- Most programs want families to be able to message their child's teacher from the app, and that is how NestliCare works out of the box. Some don't: a school where every question goes through the front office, or a setting whose policy is that parents write to a shared email address. For those, you can turn parent messaging off for your whole organization. ## What changes when it's off - **Parents can't send messages.** The Messages tab disappears from their app. Any conversation they already had is kept, but nobody can add to it. - **Staff can't message a parent either.** Families no longer appear when a teacher or admin starts a conversation, and the room-chat option is gone. A thread a parent isn't allowed to answer would only cause confusion, so the channel closes in both directions. - **Everything else keeps working.** Announcements, newsletters, the daily feed, documents, invoices, and staff-to-staff messages are unaffected. Parents can still message NestliCare support from their profile. ## Turn it off 1. On the web, go to **Settings → Messaging**. 2. Switch off **Parent Messaging**. On the mobile app, owners find the same switch under **Admin → Organization settings → Messaging**. The change applies right away for new messages. Families who already have the app open will see the Messages tab go away the next time the app refreshes its settings, usually within a few minutes or on the next launch. Parents who are used to messaging will look for the button. An announcement saying how to contact the office (phone, email, or in person) saves everyone a confused day. ## Turn it back on Flip the same switch. Earlier conversations reappear for families, and both sides can pick them up where they left off.