Free daycare absence message generator
Let the nursery or school know, in one clear message, before the morning runs away.
Free. No account. We do not save your message.
Nurseries and schools need to know two things quickly: that your child will not be there, and whether it is something they should watch for in other children. Everything else can wait.
Tell us what is going on and how long you expect it to last. The message stays short and friendly — you will be speaking to these people again tomorrow.
An example
Sam has a stomach bug, off today and probably tomorrow, grandmother collecting sibling as normal.
Good morning, Sam will not be in today — he has been up most of the night with a stomach bug. I expect he will be off tomorrow as well, and I will let you know how he is in the morning. Lily will be in as normal, and her grandmother will collect her at 3 as usual. Thank you,
Early beats well-written
Nurseries and schools plan their morning around who is coming. A three-line message at seven is worth more to them than a considered one at nine, and nobody is marking you on the phrasing.
Send it however they normally hear from you — the app, the group, an email. Whatever is fastest for you at that moment is almost certainly fine.
Say what is catching, keep the rest private
Sickness bugs, chickenpox, conjunctivitis, anything with a rash: worth naming, because staff will be watching for it in other children and may need to tell other parents. That is the whole reason they ask.
Anything else is yours. “Sam is unwell and will not be in today” is a complete message, and no reasonable nursery will push for more than that.
Planned absences are a different message
Holidays, appointments and family days are worth flagging further ahead, because they affect staffing and sometimes billing. Give the dates and ask them to confirm, rather than assuming a message in a group chat counts as registered.
Whether you still pay for those days comes from your contract, and it varies more than parents expect. Ask directly rather than assuming either way — it is a one-line question and it avoids an awkward invoice.
Common questions
+How much detail should I give?
Enough to be useful to them: sickness bugs and rashes are worth naming because they affect other children. Anything more private is your choice.
+When do they need to know?
As early as you can manage — before the register is taken. A message at 7am is far more useful than a perfect message at 9.
+Do I still pay for the day?
Almost always yes, but it depends on your contract. Ask them directly rather than assuming either way.