Question 1

What are your Childcare Overnight Sitting hours?

Accepted Answer

Our Childcare Overnight Sittings offer services from 11 PM to 6 AM, tailored for use during the hours when children are typically asleep. During this time, the caregiver/Sitter assumes sole responsibility for the household and can also rest for the majority, if not the entirety, of this timeframe.

Please note that Overnight hours do not apply if the Sitter is expected to return home within the aforementioned time frame. For instance, if you book a session from 6 PM to 12 AM (midnight), your Sitter will continue to be compensated at the regular hourly rate.

Question 2

What happens if my Sitter needs to cancel due to illness / family emergency?

Accepted Answer

In the unfortunate event that a Sitter needs to cancel an appointment due to illness or family emergency, they are required to promptly notify both the agency and the affected families prior to the scheduled appointment time.

With the consent of the family, Portland Sitters will make every effort to secure alternative coverage by arranging for another Sitter. However, it's important to note that we cannot guarantee the availability of a replacement Sitter.

In the event that a Sitter cancels an appointment, and the family has paid a deposit or the full amount in advance, the funds paid will be refunded promptly. Refunds may take up to 14 business days to be fully returned to your bank or debit card.

Question 3

Can sitters take my child swimming or to the pool?

Accepted Answer

No. For safety and insurance reasons, our Sitters do not supervise swimming or water activities in pools, lakes, oceans, or any body of water deeper than 2 feet.

What water activities are allowed?
Sitters may supervise limited water play such as kiddie pools (under 2 feet of water), routine bath time, and splash pads, as long as there is no standing water over 2 feet deep and no lifeguard-level supervision is required.
Are sitters trained for water emergencies?
 Yes. All Sitters are CPR and First Aid certified, including training for drowning and water-related emergencies. However, Sitters are not lifeguards, and CPR training does not replace proper swim supervision.
Why is this policy in place?
 Water activities are considered high-risk and are often excluded from childcare insurance coverage. These limits help keep children safe and allow us to maintain affordable, responsible coverage for families and Sitters.

Question 4

Do you offer postpartum care for new parents?

Accepted Answer

At this time, we do not have capacity to offer postpartum services.

Question 5

Do you offer senior care?

Accepted Answer

At this time, we do not have the capacity to offer senior care.

Question 6

Do your Sitters have experience with children with disabilities?

Accepted Answer

Each Sitter has different levels of experience with a variety of disabilities (including physical, cognitive, and behavioral).

As a company, we've provided care to children with Autism, ADHD, Pathological Demand Avoidance, Anxiety, and Depression. We've also helped care for children who are deaf, and have physical limitations that require accommodation.

We are here to help, and are always willing to learn!

Question 7

Do your Sitters speak other languages?

Accepted Answer

While not all Sitters are fluent in multiple languages, you can explore each profile to discover any additional languages spoken, or feel free to reach out to us for further information.

Question 8

What are the Sitter's paid?

Accepted Answer

At Portland Sitters, we prioritize fair compensation for all our Sitters, who are eligible for both tips and mileage reimbursement.

Our Sitters' pay rates typically range from $18.00 to $22.00 per hour as a base rate for most childcare services. The exact base rate varies based on experience and tenure with our company.

Additionally, we offer differential rates for various services, including holidays, last-minute appointments, appointments with more than two children, group/event appointments, and our Pet Sitting and House Sitting services.

It's important to note that the owner of Portland Sitters does not profit from the company, except when personally providing babysitting, house sitting, or pet sitting services. Administrative hours are not compensated for the owner. Instead, all revenue generated is reinvested back into the company to cover expenses and ensure fair compensation for our dedicated Sitters

Question 9

Do you offer low-income rates for childcare? / How does Affordable Childcare work?

Accepted Answer

To receive income based childcare, we require proof of government assistance such as Medicaid (OHP, etc), SNAP, TANF, TA-DVS, SSDI, or refugee services. Please note we will never ask for account/routing info or other sensitive personal information. We will request specific documentation from you, please do not preemptively send us documentation.

At this time, we cannot support clients through ERDC programs and cannot take payment directly through government assistance programs.

Our low-income childcare is offered at $15/hourly, has a 5 hour cap, and clients can receive up to 3 appointments per calendar month for occasional care. We additionally waive the mileage fee for our low-income clients. Invoicing and late fees may still be applicable.

Like with any of our services, we cannot guarantee availability, but will try our best!

Question 10

How do I pay for services?

Accepted Answer

Our Sitters come to each equipped with Square card readers. Clients can pay in-person with the sitter any remaining balances and mileage. We also offer invoicing for childcare clients who prefer it, and invoicing is our standard for Pet and House Sitting appointments.

While Sitters can take Cash and personal and third-party platform payments (Venmo/Cash App/ Etc.) in-a-pinch, we prefer all transactions occur with a debit card to make sure that all accounting is accurate. We appreciate your understanding.

With Square, our Sitters can take in-person payments by:
- Swipe debit and credit cards
- Support Contactless NFC transactions (card/chip tap-to-pay)
 - Android and iPhone Tap-to-Pay
- Cash App Pay ( please note that this is not a personal peer-to-peer transaction, but a scannable code).

We do not currently support payment with checks.

Question 11

Is tipping required? Does it have to be by card?

Accepted Answer

Tipping is NOT required, but encouraged. Tips can be done through card or cash with the sitter.

Question 12

What holidays are observed?

Accepted Answer

New Year's Day (January 1)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
President’s Day (third Monday in February)
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
Juneteenth (June 19th)
Labor Day (first Monday in September)
Indigenous Peoples’ Day (second Monday in November)
Veteran’s Day (November 11)
Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November)
Christmas Eve (December 24)
Christmas Day (December 25)
New Year's Eve (December 31)

Question 13

What are your Childcare and Pet Medication Policies?

Accepted Answer

Childcare & Pet Care
For the safety of children, pets, and our sitters, medications may only be administered when clear written instructions have been provided prior to the appointment. Clients are responsible for supplying all medications in their original, clearly labeled containers and ensuring that dosage instructions are accurate and up to date.
While our sitters will make every reasonable effort to administer medications as instructed, Portland Sitters cannot guarantee successful administration, particularly in situations where a child or pet refuses medication, becomes distressed, or administration would create a safety risk for the sitter, child, or pet.
Sitters may decline to administer medications that require specialized medical training, injections (unless specifically approved in advance), forceful restraint, or any procedure they do not feel qualified to perform safely.
Clients must disclose all medications, medical conditions, allergies, and relevant health information before the appointment. Portland Sitters is not responsible for adverse reactions, missed doses due to non-cooperation, incomplete or inaccurate instructions provided by the client, or circumstances outside of the sitter's reasonable control.

Question 14

What are your Childcare and Pet Care Injury & Illness Policies?

Accepted Answer

The safety and well-being of children and pets in our care is our highest priority. Sitters will take reasonable precautions to maintain a safe environment and will promptly notify clients of any illness, injury, accident, or concerning behavior that occurs during an appointment.

In the event of a minor injury or illness, the sitter will provide basic first aid within the scope of their training and contact the client as soon as practical. For emergencies, sitters may contact emergency services, seek veterinary care, or obtain medical treatment if they reasonably believe immediate action is necessary to protect the health or safety of the child or pet.

By booking services, clients authorize Portland Sitters and its contractors to seek emergency medical or veterinary care when the client or emergency contact cannot be reached in a timely manner. Clients are responsible for any costs associated with medical treatment, veterinary treatment, transportation, or emergency services.

Portland Sitters and its contractors are not liable for injuries, illnesses, allergic reactions, escapes, behavioral incidents, or other unforeseen events that occur despite reasonable supervision and care, except where prohibited by law or resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Clients are responsible for disclosing any known medical conditions, allergies, behavioral concerns, bite history, aggression, mobility limitations, or other information that may impact the safety of the child, pet, or sitter. Failure to disclose relevant information may result in immediate termination of services without refund.

FAQs