Helpful New Software

[michael_987]

Save time and connect with parents with new, easy to use software:

CareSoft Technologies [www.CareSoftTech.com] offers an online Childcare Tracker program for providers and parents. Teachers log in during the day to record events, upload photographs, and print supply labels. Parents log in anytime to see the up-to-the-minute status of their children, view pictures from class, or browse reports from any day.

Please visit www.CareSoftTech.com to watch a demo, read about more features, or sign up to try it free for a month. Any feedback from the website or program is much appreciated; CareSoft is committed to constantly improving its software to make life easier for both providers and parents.

If you have any questions please feel free to reply to all or contact me directly. This is a great program for teachers and parents!

Thank you for reading,
Michael

[missnikki]

Hmmm. Interesting way to get our attention, Michael987. Seems smarmy to use the forum administrator's name to hawk your software. Good luck on that, Michael987.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

,.. good call Missnikki. =-)

[michael_987]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum so I can't tell if you're joking, but my name is Michael also.

Has anyone looked at the software? I really would like to hear from you and find out what you think. CareSoft was founded by parents who are dedicated to improving the child care experience. I apologize if my initial post sounded more like an annoying solicitation... my hope was to get a discussion started.

Thank you, Michael

[momofsix]

I did look at the program, and it looks interesting, though not something I would use. My parents don't read/want dailly written logs, and I already put pics and weekly updates on a private on-line page for free. There is no way I could do "up to the minute" updates on children, not while i'm busy with them!
I could see where this might be helpful in a larger center setting versus a daycare home like I have.

[Michael]

I don't allow advertising on the forum but Michael emailed me and I feel his program may be of some use. Michael is also a member and can answer questions here or via PM.

PS - I am managing the forum from a cruise ship in the Atlantic currently running away from Cozumel and Hurricane Paula.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

Let me be the first to say Michael,... get off the computer! go enjoy your time away!!!!!

[michael_987]

Hello momofsix,

I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts even though the software is not something you would use. You are right that "up to the minute" was a poor choice of words... I should have said that parents can see updates as soon as they are added by the teacher. I know you are very busy with the kids! One of our hopes was that if documentation could be easier and more efficient, that would free up more time to spend with the kids

Thank you again, Michael

[missnikki]

Well, I suppose I could apologize for coming off as skeptical, so I'm sorry for that.
As to the cruise ship and hurricane Paula- don't spill your margarita when the boat rocks too hard!

[michael_987]

Hi missnikki,

There's no need to be sorry but I do appreciate your apology!

This forum is such a great place... I think it's amazing how many providers have come together here and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it.

I look forward to hearing more feedback, questions, and ideas if anyone else is willing to share.

Thank you, Michael

[DBug]

Hi Michael_987 -- I checked out the website, and it's an intriguing concept. My dc Parents are very interested in their child's day, and this might be something that works for them. I'm interested to know though, what's the security like? How easy would it be for someone to hack in and view all of the children's personal information?

[michael_987]

Hello DBug,

That is an excellent question - thank you for asking. Security was taken very seriously as a top concern during the design and development of this software.

All information is stored in a secure database which is protected by firewalls so that nobody could access it even if they were somehow able to obtain details about its location. It was designed such that only the software itself can access its data.

The software is highly secure such that no data may be accessed without being logged in. Every page and every photograph in the site performs a check when it's loaded for a valid log-in session. If anyone who wasn't logged in was able to obtain the direct path to a page or picture in the site they would be redirected to the log-in page. Users' passwords are also encrypted and never sent to the server in normal plain text form.

Within the application teachers have access only to the data for their center(s). Parents only have access to view information for their own children; teachers control whether parents even have access and decide which children are available to each parent.

I hope that helps to answer your question. If you have more detailed questions regarding security or specific technologies being used please let me know. One of the system engineers for the software is security certified (CISSP) and I would be happy to put you in contact with him if there's anything I'm not able to answer.

Thanks again, Michael

[tymaboy]

I don't allow advsertising on the forum but Michael emailed me and I feel his program may be of some use. Michael is also a member and can answer questions here or via PM.

PS - I am managing the forum from a cruise ship in the Atlantic currently running away from Cozumel and Hurricane Paula.

Have fun with that! I was on a cruise when Hurrican Dennis (right before Katrina) went threw. It was not fun. People were barfing all over the place from the ship rocking so much. We got an extra day on the ship since the port had been closed. Pissed me off cuz I wanted a day in New Orleans (never been there) & we were going to stay in one of the so called huanted hotels there. We just made our flight when we got off the ship. The rest of the cruise was great.

[Michael]

Thanks you. Mostly rain on the way to my "new" destination, Nassau, Bahamas. That hurricane seems to be following me....

[MarinaVanessa]

Okay so I got curious about the product and agree that this would make sense in a big daycare center but not so much for a small family daycare home. It might work for some of the large daycare homes but seeing as to most of us that have large or small family daycares don't do daily reports anyway and use email when we want to share pictures I don't find the program relevant to the needs of my business.

I didn't see the cost of the program on the website which makes me think that it may be high and so that is why it is not posted.

I think that if someone made a program that was a combination of like the Redeaf Press Calendar keeper and Quickbooks but catered particularly to family daycare homes it would be a great hit. Of course it would have to keep track of payments, attendance, activities, curriculum, meal logs, meal menu's, phone calls, notes, reminders, incidents, mileage, expenses etc. for it to work for me and so I think I may be asking for alot .