# What Is a Household Record?

> A household record links related people so shared details are entered once and family participation is visible together. Here is how it works.

Published: 2026-03-23  
Author: Andrey (OpenCommunity Team)

## Key takeaways

- A household record links related people so shared details are entered once and family participation is visible together.
- Households come in many forms, so avoid assuming a single parent-and-children shape.
- Linking people adds a third useful count alongside participants and visits: unique households.

## What a household record is

A **household record** links people who belong together, so their shared details live in one place and their individual participation can still be seen. Instead of entering the same address and phone number on five separate forms, you record the household once and connect its members to it.

Each person keeps their own record and their own attendance. The household simply ties them together.

## Why households make records easier

- Shared contact details are entered once, not repeated per person.
- Staff can see a family's participation across programs at a glance.
- Updating an address updates it for everyone connected.
- Fewer duplicate records, because related people are recognized.

This ties closely to [preventing duplicate participant records](https://opencommunity.ca/blog/how-to-prevent-duplicate-participant-records/index.md).

## What counts as a household

It is worth resisting a single mental picture. Households in community programs take many shapes.

- A parent and children, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, or guardians.
- Roommates or several adults sharing a home.
- A caregiver and the person they support.
- Chosen family that does not fit a legal definition.

Let the household reflect how people actually live, rather than forcing everyone into one template.

## Households in your reporting

Households add a useful third number to your reporting. Alongside [unique participants and total visits](https://opencommunity.ca/blog/unique-participants-vs-total-visits/index.md), you can count unique households: how many distinct family groups you reached. Some funders ask for this specifically, especially in family and neighbourhood programs.

## Keeping household records tidy

Households stay useful when they are kept tidy. Link a new person to an existing household rather than creating a fresh one, review connections when someone moves or a family changes, and keep individual records individual so one person's information is not buried in another's. A little maintenance keeps the picture accurate.

## Questions and answers

### What is a household record?

It is a record that links related people so shared details are entered once and their participation can be seen together. Each person still has their own record and attendance; the household connects them.

### Does a household have to be a family?

No. Households take many forms, including guardians, grandparents, roommates, caregivers, and chosen family. It is better to reflect how people actually live than to assume one structure.

### Why track households at all?

Households reduce repeated data entry, help staff see a family's participation across programs, and let you report unique households, which some funders ask for in family and community programs.

### How do households relate to unique participants?

A household can contain several unique participants. So a single family group might be one household and, say, four participants, each with their own attendance.

## More from OpenCommunity

- [All resources](https://opencommunity.ca/blog/index.md): Browse every published guide.
- [OpenCommunity features](https://opencommunity.ca/features/index.md): Explore the platform.