For schools, clubs and communities
A group chat that includes everyone, without putting children at risk.
For school parents, clubs, teams and community groups. Start a group, share one link or QR code, and let people join. Every child still needs their own parent’s approval.
Free to start · No phone numbers shared · You approve who joins
The problem with most group chats
Group chats are where parents and clubs organise everything. They are also where phone numbers get shared with people you have never met, where children can be added without a parent knowing, and where you cannot tell who has joined.
ChatMinder groups work differently:
- No phone numbers needed. People join with a link, a QR code or a code, not by being in each other’s contacts.
- You decide who is in. An admin can approve every person who asks to join.
- A child is never added without their own parent saying yes.
How a group runs
1. Create the group
Any adult with a ChatMinder account can start a group chat and becomes its admin.
2. Share one link or QR code
Joining by link is off until you switch it on. Then share the link in a message or newsletter, or show the QR code and let people scan it.
3. Approve who comes in
Turn on approval, and each person who asks to join waits for an admin (or a moderator you choose). You can reset the link whenever you need to, and the old one stops working at once.
For school class and year-group parents
The situation: you run the parents’ group for a class or year. You want everyone to be able to join, but you do not want to share your phone number with every parent, or find out later that a child was added to something without their parent knowing.
With ChatMinder:
- Put the QR code in a newsletter or hand it out at the school gate, or share the link in the class message.
- Approve each parent as they ask, so you know who is in the group.
- If a parent’s child has a ChatMinder protected profile, their guardian approves the child before anything happens.
- When the year ends, reset the link so the old one stops working.
For sports clubs and teams
The situation: a coach or team manager needs a group for a squad that parents and players can join, and does not want every joiner’s phone number visible to everyone else.
With ChatMinder:
- One link for the team. Switch joining off once it is full, switch it on again for the next intake.
- The admin (coach or manager) approves joiners. Moderators, such as assistant coaches, can help approve if the admin allows.
- Members can be allowed to share the link, so a parent can bring in the other half of the family.
- Reset the link at the end of the season.
For charities and community groups
The situation: you run a community group, a support group or a volunteer group and want people to be able to find a safe place to talk, without handing out personal contact details or opening the doors to anyone.
With ChatMinder:
- Share one link or QR code on a poster, a flyer or your website.
- Approve people as they ask, so the group stays the group you intend.
- People see only the group’s name and description until they have been let in.
- Children in the group are only ever added with their guardian’s approval.
Children stay protected
Every child on ChatMinder has a guardian who chooses how much freedom they have. A group link never skips that.
- The group approves (if you have turned approval on).
- The child’s guardian approves, according to the child’s settings.
- A guardian can join their child to a group by scanning the group’s QR code or typing its code.
Inside a group, a protected user appears to people who are not their contact or guardian as an initial rather than a full name. The exception is the person approving join requests, who sees the full name of whoever is asking so they know who they are admitting.
A note for organisers
ChatMinder is a tool that parents and organisers use. A group on ChatMinder is run by its admin, and the admin is responsible for who they let in and how the group is run. It does not replace your organisation’s own safeguarding policy, and the groups you start are not run or endorsed by ChatMinder or by any school or club that uses them.
Questions from groups
Do people need ChatMinder already?
No. Someone who taps the link can create a free account and is added to the group when they sign up. Someone who already has the app joins in a tap.
Does it cost anything?
ChatMinder is free to start, and people can create an account from the group link. Premium adds extra protection for children, such as Smart Approval and viewing a child’s chats.
Can I stop people sharing the link around?
Yes. Turn on approval so nobody gets in without an admin saying yes, or choose Reset code to stop the old link working immediately. You can also turn joining off at any time.
Can children join the group?
Children with a ChatMinder protected profile can join, but only with their guardian’s approval. A fully managed child cannot join by link at all: their guardian joins them with the group’s QR code or code.
Will other parents see my child’s name?
People who are not a child’s contact or guardian see only an initial. The person approving join requests sees the full name so they know who they are letting in.
Can we use this alongside our existing group chat?
Yes. You can share the ChatMinder link in the group you already use and move over when everyone is ready.
Also see: Group invite links · Co-parents · Grandparents · How approvals work
Ready to get started?
It takes minutes to set up. No phone number or email required for your child.