Family Link: Lock Screen Password

Question

I volunteer in a project where we offer academic support to children with limited resources. I am in charge of the tablets we lend them during the lessons, and we use Family Link to control what kind of content they can access. Today I found out one girl had set a lock screen password and it turns out she doesn't remember it now. I tried to look for a way for the tablet to be unlocked via "parent access" (as Family Link calls it), but I didn't find it, so I had to do a hard reset. I have two questions so I can avoid this in the future:

1. How does "parent access" work? Is there any special gesture or combination of buttons to do it?
2. Could I use Family Link (or something else entirely) to avoid the children setting lock screen passwords?

Answering either question will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Google Family Link

Google Family Link is a family parental controls service by Google that allows parents to adjust parameters for their children's devices. The Family Link service is split into two different applications, Family Link for Parents and Family Link for Children & Teens. The Parents app allows parents to use customizable parameters in order to manage their kids' content viewing.

Family Link on Wikipedia
Family Link Google FAQ's

Organization != Parent

A striking omission from both Wikipedia's and Google's descriptions of Family Link is the mention of any organization at all (not educational institutions, not charities, NFP's, not businesses, etc.). Managing an organization's devices (tablets) isn't mentioned, and never is it suggested that a non-parent/guardian (well intentioned or not) be masquerading as (assuming) the parental role in order to leverage the features intended solely for a child's parents and guardians.

Protection of Children

The point of parental controls is to afford parents a way to control those settings to which they apply.

Legality of your organization's current policies aside, it behooves you to support not undermine the minimal protections afforded your charges regardless whether from a lack of knowledge or costs. Untold harm has come to children from well-meaning organizations. An organization serving vulnerable children while undermining these parental protections is extremely disappointing.

Organization Controls

There is a well developed suite of tools for organizations, educational institutions, NFP's, charities, businesses, etc. to restrict content that can be viewed, apps that can be installed, and control and manage devices belonging to the organization.

Solution providers with offerings include Google, Apple, as well as a host of other businesses.

If you are a NFP, Google Workspace offerings for Non-profits even appears to be free.