Get started with an online account

If you get support from Norfolk Children's Services, you may be able to hold online accounts for your children through Children's Services Online. This will mean:

• The documents we send you will be in your account and you can download them from there
• We can send you forms to complete and send back to us
• You can receive and reply to non-urgent messages securely

Who can have an account

Your worker will talk to you about holding an account if this is an appropriate option for you.

You don't have to agree to be an account holder. If you don't want an account it won't affect any services provided to you by us.

The benefits of an online account

• Your documents are all held in one secure place, where you can easily find them
• Convenience - you can access your account at any time to see your documents or complete forms
• Contacting us - messaging through your account is more secure than email. Also, you don't have to be available for a phone call during office hours.

Your documents include copies of assessments, plans and other forms you'd normally receive. These documents will contain sensitive information about your:

• Support needs
• Health
• History and family situation
• Any services or support that you receive

What you need to get an account

Your Children's Services worker will ask for your email address. You'll then get an email with a unique verification code.

When you receive this, contact your worker to let them know. When you've spoken to your worker, they'll complete some checks and then activate your account.

You'll get an email containing a link inviting you to log into your My Norfolk account. If you don't have a My Norfolk account already, the email will contain a link for you to set one up.

Find out how to access the Children's Services Online portal to set up an account. 

If you want to close the account

You can stop holding an account at any time. Contact your worker or team to ask them to deactivate the account.

Account security

We have comprehensive systems in place to protect your account. This includes the use of encryption, regular security updates and system monitoring.

There is also a secure sign-in process using two-factor authentication.

Help to use the account

This online guide offers advice on using your account. If you need further help, please speak to your worker.

This guide is to help you complete each step to get access to the Children's Services Online Portal.

This includes how to set up your My Norfolk account, if you do not already have one. You'll need this to have access to Children's Services Online.

You may already have a My Norfolk account if you've applied for something on the Norfolk County Council website before. For example, you might have applied for a scaffolding license or made an appointment to register a birth.

You'll also need a landline or mobile phone number. You'll need this every time you log in to Children's Services Online.

1. You'll get an email to the email address which you have provided to your worker. This email will have the title 'Set up your Children's Services Online Account'. If your worker says we've sent you an email, but you have not yet received it, check your spam folder.
2. The email will contain a unique code. When you get the email, contact your worker to let them know you have received the email and tell them the code.
3. Next, you'll get an email titled 'Accept Children's Services Online Account Invitation'. It may take a few days for you to receive this email. It contains a link inviting you to either log in to your My Norfolk account or, if you don't already have an account, set one up.
4. If you already have a My Norfolk account, enter your email address and password and select 'Sign in'. You can now skip to step 14 in this guide.
5. If you don't have a My Norfolk account, select 'Sign up now'
6. Put in your email address and select 'Send verification code'. You must use the same email address to which we sent the previous emails.
7. Go to your email inbox. You will have received an email titled 'Norfolk County Council account verification code'. The email will contain a 6-digit code. This email could take a few minutes to arrive. If you can't see it, check your spam folder.
8. Return to the Registration page and input the code into the 'Verification code' field. Then select 'verify code'.
9. Your email address has now been verified. Select 'Continue'
10. Complete the 'Given name' (first name) and 'Surname' fields. Then put your preferred password in the 'New Password' and 'Confirm New Password' fields. Once you've done this, select 'Create'.
11. Put in your phone number. This can be either a landline or mobile phone number, but it needs to have good signal. You'll use this number every time you login to the Children's Services Online Portal. Select either 'Send Code' or 'Call me'.
    • If you select 'Send Code' you will receive an SMS text message containing a 6-digit code. You'll need to type into the text verification code field which will appear.
    • If you select 'Call me' you will receive a phone call. Answer the call and follow the instructions you're given.
12. You'll then need to repeat this process to confirm your phone number.
13. You'll now go to the 'Account setup' page. Select the tick box next to the name of the record you are being given access to. Select 'Yes' from the drop-down box and 'Confirm'.
14. In the pop-up box, select 'Submit'. Once you've done this you can log out of Children's Services Online.
15. Once your account is active, you'll receive an email titled 'New Children's Services Online activation'. This may take a few days. This means that your account is now ready to use. The email will contain a link you can follow to log in to your account, using the email address and password that you have set up.

Download a guide to getting access to your account

We've created an illustrated guide to the steps above if you need further help.

Download the guide (PDF) [443KB] 

This is how to access your account once you've received confirmation that it's set up and ready to use.

1. Go to the login page. You'll find a link to this on the Norfolk County Council website. You'll also find the link in emails you've received telling you to login to your account.
2. At the 'Sign in' screen, enter your email address and password, then select 'Sign in'.
3. On the 'Confirm your identity' screen either select 'Send Code' or 'Call Me'. Your choice will depend on which type of phone number you have registered on your account:
   • Send Code is for mobile or SMS text message-equipped devices only. You'll receive an SMS text. Enter the code sent in this text into the verification code field. When you have entered all six digits of the code you'll be automatically signed in.
   • Call Me is for landline or mobile devices. Answer the call and follow the instructions, pressing the # key when prompted to. You'll then be automatically signed in.

If you only have one account, you'll go straight into the dashboard for that account If you have access to several accounts, select the account you wish to access by selecting the name. This will take you to that account's dashboard.

How to log out of your account

The information contained in these accounts is sensitive. So it's important to remember to log out of your Children's Services Online Account if you:

• Have finished using it
• Are leaving your device unattended

You can log out by selecting your name at the top of the screen and then choosing 'Logout' from the dropdown list.

The system will automatically log out after 15 minutes of inactivity. After 10 minutes of inactivity, the screen will display a 5-minute countdown. If you start typing or navigating the account again the countdown will stop.

Download a guide to logging in and out of your account

We've created an illustrated guide to the advice above if you need further help.

Download the guide (PDF) [256KB] 

This is how to change the password you need to log in to your account. Please note that when you change your Children's Services Online Portal password, you also change your My Norfolk login password.

1. At the login screen, select the 'Forgot your password' link
2. At the next screen, enter your email address and select 'Send verification code'
3. Go to your email account. You should have received an email with the subject line 'Norfolk County Council account email verification code'. In the email you should find the 6-digit code.
4. Go back to the login screen, enter the code in the 'Verification Code' field and select 'Verify Code'
5. At the next screen you need to enter your new password twice, once in each box, then select 'Continue'
6. You'll now go back to the 'Sign in' page as you have changed your password
7. Now you can enter your email address and new password and continue with the rest of the login process as usual

Download a guide to changing your password

We've created an illustrated guide to the steps above if you need further help.

Download the guide (PDF) [304KB] 

Opening the form

1. Login to your Children's Services Online account and go to the dashboard of the record we've sent the form to. If you have access to several records, you may need to check each one to find where we've sent the form to. If you're unsure, contact your worker to check.
2. From the dashboard, locate the Items to complete tile on the bottom right of the screen.
3. Select the tile to go to the full Items to complete page. This page contains all forms we've sent you to complete and which you have not yet submitted.
4. Select the name of the form you wish to complete. This will open the form.

Saving a form to complete at a later date

If you need to save the form and come back to it, select 'Save for later'. This will save the form and it will remain on the Items to complete page.

Submitting your completed form

When you have finished filling in your form, you can submit it. There will either be:

• A 'Submit' page in the form, containing a 'Submit' button
• A 'Submit' or 'Submit Contribution' icon at the bottom of the page, near the 'Save for later' and 'Print' options

This can vary for different forms; some may have one of these options and others have both options.

Use any 'Submit' button to submit your form. You'll be asked to confirm if you wish to submit the form. Select 'Confirm'.

Download a guide to using forms

We've produced an illustrated guide to the above advice if you need further help.

Download the guide (PDF) [240KB] 

1. Log in to your Children's Services Online account and go to the dashboard of the record we've sent the document to. If you have access to several records, you may need to check each one to see where we've sent the document. If you're still unsure, contact your worker to check.
2. From the dashboard, locate the Items to view tile on the bottom left of the screen. 
3. Select the tile to go to the full Items to view page. Unopened items appear in bold.
4. Select the name of the document you wish to view.
5. When you select the document you wish to view it will automatically download to your device. You may save it to your device if you need to.

Download a guide to viewing a document

We've produced an illustrated guide to the above steps if you need further help.

Download the guide (PDF) [196KB] 

Don't use the messaging function in your account for urgent messages. In urgent cases, call your worker or 0344 800 8020.

If you have access to more than one account, you need to use the account of the child or person the message relates to. For example, you might want to message us to let us know when a doctor's appointment for a child is taking place.

If the message is about more than one child, you can use any of the relevant children's accounts.

How to send a message

1. Login to your Children's Services Online account
2. From your dashboard select 'New Messages'. This will open the Messages page.
3. From the Messages page, select 'New Message'
4. In the 'Message Type' dropdown box, select your message type. This will decide who the message goes to. If you're unsure which message type to choose, call your worker.
5. Fill in the 'Subject' field and put your message into the 'Message' field. Please make it clear within the subject who you want the message to go to by giving both their first and last name.
6. Select 'Send'
7. If your worker has sent you a message, you can reply to this by selecting the message and choosing 'Reply'

Download a guide to sending messages

We've produced an illustrated guide of the above advice if you need further help.

Download the guide (PDF) [258KB]