Child accounts: unable to get balance online or by phone anymore (Halifax)?

[PoppyWearer]

I've had the Halifax Children's Savings accounts for a few years now due to the great interest rate, but the past year it's been one thing after another.

We had a whole saga around not being able to transfer money into the accounts (don't get me started) and now they won't let me see the balances online or on the phone "due to data protection". They are my kids, the accounts are in my name as well as theirs! (My DCs are 4yo and 1yo, BTW!)

Apparently I can only find out the balances if I go into a branch. So my plan is to go into the branch and withdraw the money and close the accounts.

Is this a general thing with child accounts online? Or just another example of Halifax being incredibly shit?

(BTW, the branch staff are always lovely and helpful. But I don't want to schlep into a branch every frigging time I want to do something with the account.)

Is there a good online Co-Op kids account, for example?

I think it is normal for you not to be able to access the childrens accounts online as they are in the name of the child rather than you. My children have their own accounts but the statements, etc go to me as a named person but I am not actually on their account so cannot access their details on my online banking. I can do transfers from my account to theirs very easily by setting it up as an online payment.