---
title: "A parent can't log in"
description: "The quick fixes when a family can't get into the NestliCare app, in the order to try them."
type: troubleshoot
updated: 2026-08-26
canonical_url: https://help.nestlicare.com/owners/situations/a-parent-cant-log-in
roles: ["super_admin", "center_admin"]
platforms: [web]
---
Parents can't create their own account, so almost every "I can't log in" comes down to their invitation. Work through these in order.

## 1. Were they ever invited?

Open the family in **Families & Children → Families**. On the parent's row:

- If it says **Not invited**, they were never sent an invitation. Click **Send invite** on their row.
- If it shows the invitation as pending, click **Resend invite**. The first email may have been missed or expired.

Ask them to check their **spam or junk folder**, and to search their email for "NestliCare".

## 2. Their email already has a NestliCare account

That is fine, and no longer a dead end: one email can hold several profiles (a staff login, a parent profile at another daycare). Send the invitation anyway. When they open it, the page recognizes the account and shows **Sign in to accept**; they use their existing password and your daycare is added to the same login. If the Add Parent form stops you because the email exists, take the **send an invitation instead** option it offers.

The only genuine blocks are when they are already a member of that same family, or when their old record here was archived or removed. In those cases restore the existing record (the **Archived** tab, or **Restore** on the member) instead of adding them again.

## 3. They have an account but forgot their password

Point them to **Forgot password?** on the app's login screen. They enter their email and get a reset link. You don't need to do anything from your side.

## 4. The family was archived

If you archived the family, its parents can't log in. Switch to the **Archived** tab on the Families page, restore the family, and re-send invitations if needed.

## Still stuck?

If the invitation genuinely isn't arriving at a working, non-spam inbox after a resend, their email provider may be blocking it. Try a different email address for them, or email [support@nestlicare.com](mailto:support@nestlicare.com) with the parent's email so we can check delivery.

Related: [Invite parents to the app](/owners/families/invite-parents-to-the-app), [Get the mobile apps](/getting-started/get-the-mobile-apps).