---
title: "Archive a family when they leave"
description: "Archive a family to remove them from active lists while keeping their records. You can restore them later."
type: guide
updated: 2026-10-09
canonical_url: https://help.nestlicare.com/owners/families/archive-a-family
roles: ["super_admin", "center_admin"]
platforms: [web]
---
When a family leaves, you **archive** them. That takes them out of your active lists while keeping their records, and you can restore them later if they come back.

## Archive a family

1. Go to **Families & Children → Families**.
2. On the family's card, open the **⋯** (More actions) menu and choose **Archive family**.
3. Read the confirmation, then click **Archive Family**.

<ScreenshotWithPointers
  src="/screenshots/owners/families/archive-family-modal.png"
  alt="The Archive Family confirmation listing what archiving does"
  caption="Archiving spells out exactly what it will do before you confirm."
/>

The confirmation spells out exactly what archiving does for that family:

- Archives the parents and children
- Withdraws all active enrollments
- Cancels pending invitations
- Cancels active auto-pay authorizations

It also withdraws the children from any add-on programs they were enrolled in.

Invoices and payment records are kept. You can restore the family later, though their enrollments have to be recreated.

## Find and restore an archived family

The Families page has **Active** and **Archived** tabs. Switch to **Archived** to find a family you've archived, and restore them from there if they re-enroll. After restoring, set up their room enrollment again (archiving withdrew it).

## Archive a single child

Each child card also has its own **Archive child** control with a similar confirmation, for when one child leaves but the family stays (an older sibling ages out, say).

### Bring a single child back

A child archived on their own does not appear on the Families page's Archived tab, because the family is still active. Go to **Families & Children → Children**, switch the **Active / Archived** toggle at the top to **Archived**, find the child, and click **Restore**. They return to the active lists and their profile; set up their room enrollment again in the **Enrollment** section of the child's **Details** tab, since archiving withdrew it. If the whole family was archived, restore the family first (below) and the children come back with it.

<Callout kind="info" title="Archive, don't delete">
Archiving is the right move for almost every family that leaves: it's reversible and keeps your records for billing and licensing. Reach for a permanent delete only for a family created by mistake that never had any real activity.
</Callout>

## Delete a family created by mistake

Archive the family first. Then, on the **Archived** tab, open the family card's **⋯** menu and choose **Delete permanently**. You type the family name to confirm. This can't be undone.

## Troubleshooting

**I archived the wrong family.** Switch to the **Archived** tab, find them, and restore. Their records come back.

**A parent could still see the app after I archived.** The screen may stay open, but archiving cuts off their access right away: the next thing the app tries to load from your daycare is refused.