Terms and Conditions

Sitter & Backup Care

Sandhills Nanny Co. is a referral agency. We don't employ our caregivers; we vet them and introduce them to you. We ask that you respect our process by contacting the agency for all bookings and not referring our caregivers to third parties. If you find a caregiver you're interested in, refer them back to us.

Non-solicitation

Once we've introduced you to a caregiver, that introduction is the service you're paying for. You agree not to engage, hire, or pay that caregiver for childcare outside of Sandhills Nanny Co., whether or not you hold an active membership, and whether the arrangement is paid, bartered, or unpaid. This applies to introductions made through any of our services: sitter bookings, placements, event care, and a la carte vetting.

If you engage a caregiver outside the agency, a referral fee of $2,160 becomes immediately due, and we reserve the right to end your membership and decline future service. This amount reflects the annual value of the agency relationship and the sourcing, screening, and matching work already performed. It is a fee, not a penalty, and is due regardless of how long the outside arrangement lasts.

If a caregiver you meet through us isn't the right fit for one booking but you'd like to work with them again, just tell us. We'll arrange it.

Communication

All scheduling and booking communication with caregivers goes through our app or online portal. Two exceptions: day-of logistics that can't wait (gate codes, finding your house, a delay in traffic) and genuine emergencies. Everything else, including availability, rate changes, schedule changes, and requesting a specific sitter, comes to the agency.

To request a specific caregiver, email info@sandhillsnannyco.com or call (910) 986-3116. Naming a caregiver in your booking notes does not route the booking to them; the caregiver has to claim it, or we have to assign it.

Availability

Your membership grants access to our pool of vetted caregivers as availability permits. We can't guarantee a specific caregiver for any date, that the same caregiver will be available for every booking, or that every request will be filled. Requests made with less than 48 hours' notice are accommodated when we can, but never guaranteed. If you need consistent care with the same person, nanny placement is the better fit.

Service area

We serve families throughout North Carolina, with core coverage in the Sandhills (Moore, Lee, Cumberland, Hoke, and surrounding counties). Coverage outside our core area depends on caregiver availability and may involve travel time, mileage, and a travel sitter rate. Bookings outside our regular area are quoted individually; contact us before booking.

Membership options

Membership covers the agency's booking and coordination fee. Caregiver pay is separate and paid directly by you.

• Flex Care Package, up to 2 bookings per month $45/month
• Family Support Plan, up to 4 bookings per month $85/month
• Monthly Care Assurance, unlimited bookings $180/month
• Prepaid unlimited, 6 months $1,000
• Prepaid unlimited, 12 months $1,800
• Non-member per-booking fee $25

Unused bookings do not roll over. Memberships bill on the same date each month and renew automatically until cancelled.

Billing and cancellation

Automatic renewal. Memberships renew monthly on your signup date and are charged to the payment method on file.

Cancelling. Email us any time; we ask for 48 hours to process it. Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period. We don't prorate partial months, and bookings already scheduled inside that period are still honored.

Changing tiers. Upgrades take effect immediately and are prorated. Downgrades take effect at your next billing date.

Prepaid packages are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you cancel mid-term, service continues through the end of the prepaid period.

Failed payments. We'll notify you and retry. Bookings may be paused until the balance clears. Memberships more than 5 days past due may be closed; closing your account doesn't waive any balance owed.

Chargebacks. If you dispute a charge for services already rendered, we reserve the right to close your account and pursue the balance. If you think you've been billed in error, email us first.

Sitter pay

Caregivers are paid directly by you at the end of each booking through our app. You are the employer of record and may have tax and payroll obligations; ask us and we'll point you to resources and a payroll partner. These are minimum rates; you're welcome to offer more or tip.

• One child $17/hour
• Each additional child +$2/hour
• Five or more children Second caregiver required, same rate structure

Caregiver-to-child ratios are set at our discretion based on the children's ages and needs. We may require a second caregiver for fewer than five children where age or need warrants it.

Booking minimums and cancellations

All bookings have a 3-hour minimum; you're responsible for the minimum even if care runs short. Meet-and-greets are booked through the app and billed at a flat $60 paid to the caregiver, with no minimum.

Cancellations within 24 hours of the scheduled start incur 10% of the scheduled booking payable to the agency plus 50% payable to the caregiver. Cancellations more than 24 hours ahead are not charged. If a booking is shortened without the caregiver's agreement, the cancellation fee is calculated on the originally scheduled time.

Fees and surcharges

• Less than 48 hours' notice $25, split agency/caregiver
• Sick child $25, split agency/caregiver
• Observed holidays and holiday weekends +$6/hour
• Multiple families under one booking $25 to the agency
• Overtime, 30+ minutes past scheduled end 1.5x caregiver rate
• Client returns 15+ minutes late $10, plus overtime

Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.

Mileage and transportation

Mileage is reimbursed at the current IRS business rate for miles driven with your child in the vehicle. Commuting to and from your home is not reimbursed. If your booking includes pickup or drop-off, put the details in your booking notes. Bookings involving school transport are tagged as commuting bookings.

Scheduling changes

Caregivers are booked for your family specifically and are paid for the full scheduled window. Book the time you actually need; if the end time may run long, book the longer window and note it may end early.

Overnight care

Billed at standard hourly rates for all hours on duty; sleeping hours are billable. Overnight bookings require a private sleeping space for the caregiver.

Inclement weather

Service isn't guaranteed during inclement weather. If travel is unsafe, caregiver and family should notify each other as soon as possible. You may be asked to provide transportation, or we can arrange a make-up booking. Weather cancellations initiated by the caregiver are not charged to you.

When a caregiver cancels

We'll work to find replacement coverage. If we can't, you're not charged for that booking and it's returned to your monthly allotment. We can't guarantee replacement coverage, particularly on short notice.

Hotel, vacation, and out-of-town guest care

• One child $30/hour
• Two children $33/hour
• Three children $36/hour
• Four or more children Additional caregiver required, call for rates
• Booking fee, per family per day $35

Nanny Placement

Our process

• Consultation. We assess your family's needs, schedule, and preferences.
• Application and registration. Submit your application with a non-refundable $300 registration fee, credited toward your placement fee if a placement is completed.
• Search and screening. We source and screen candidates against your criteria.
• Interviews. You meet and interview selected candidates.
• Final screening. Once you select a nanny, we complete any outstanding background screening. About a week.
• Offer and placement fee. The placement fee is earned and due when you extend an offer the candidate accepts, payable before the nanny's first day. Payment plans are available through Klarna and Affirm.
• Introduction. A formal email introduces the family, nanny, and payroll partner ahead of the first day.
• Ongoing support. We support the placement for its duration.

• Temporary placement (30-day replacement period) $3,000
• Part-time placement (30-day replacement period) $4,000
• Full-time placement (60-day replacement period) $5,500

Temp-to-permanent conversion

If you engage a temporary or sitter-service caregiver on an ongoing basis, defined as more than 20 hours per week for more than 3 consecutive weeks, that arrangement is a placement and the applicable placement fee becomes due. Talk to us first and we'll structure it properly.

Nanny shares

Where two families share one nanny, the placement fee is charged to both families with a 10% discount applied to both placement totals. Both families must sign a work agreement and are responsible for their share of the caregiver's wages, taxes, and payroll obligations. If one family exits the share, the remaining family is responsible for the full wage obligation unless we place a replacement family.

Replacement policy

If your placed caregiver leaves within your replacement period, we conduct one additional search and provide one replacement placement at no additional placement fee. Your replacement period is the one listed with your tier, or the extended period you purchased as an upgrade. To be eligible, you must:

• Notify us in writing within 48 hours of the caregiver's last day
• Be current on all fees owed to the agency
• Have paid the caregiver in full and complied with applicable employment law
• Have made no significant change to the role's duties, schedule, or compensation since placement
• Have a signed work agreement in place before the caregiver's first day
• Have maintained a workplace free of harassment and misconduct

The replacement search begins when we receive your notice and is subject to candidate availability; we can't guarantee a timeline. The policy does not apply if the caregiver completes the agreed term, if the position is eliminated, or if you decide not to fill the role. It provides one replacement, for which we make reasonable efforts to provide one replacement referral for up to 30 days, not an unlimited series.

Optional upgrades

Extended replacement periods replace your standard period rather than adding to it. A 90-day upgrade gives you 90 days total from the caregiver's first day. Upgrades must be purchased before the first day.

• 90-day replacement period $400
• 180-day replacement period $800
• Annual backup-care membership at reduced rate $300/year

Inactive searches

If we're unable to reach you after three contact attempts across 14 days, or your search goes inactive for 30 days for reasons within your control, we'll pause the search and charge a non-refundable $700 search fee for the sourcing and vetting already performed. If you later hire through us, it's credited toward your placement fee. If you change the job description after the search has begun, the fee remains non-refundable and the search is treated as new. This does not apply to delays on our end or to searches where we haven't yet presented candidates.

Cancelling a search

If you cancel after signing your agreement but before a caregiver is placed, a cancellation fee of 10% of your tier's fee applies: $300 temporary, $400 part-time, $550 full-time. This is in addition to the $300 registration fee and, where applicable, the $700 inactive search fee. No refunds are issued for services already rendered. If you reinstate your search within six months, the full cancellation fee is credited toward your placement total.

Wedding & Event Care

On-site childcare for weddings, corporate events, conferences, and military and DoD functions. Prices below are base rates; every event is quoted individually.

• Booking fee, per caregiver booked, per event $300
• Caregiver rate, per caregiver, per hour on site $30/hour
• Travel outside the Sandhills IRS mileage rate
• Caregiver meals during the event At cost
• Overnight accommodations, where needed At cost
• Crafts, activity stations, kids' room setup, bounce houses, entertainers, and other extras By quote

Booking terms

Retainer. All event bookings require a 50% non-refundable retainer to hold your date. Your date isn't reserved until the retainer clears. The balance is due 30 days before the event.

Cancellation.

• More than 60 days out Retainer forfeited, no further charge
• 30 to 60 days out 50% of the total due
• Less than 30 days out Full total due

Final headcount is due 14 days before the event and sets your staffing. Children added after that are accommodated when possible at the quoted rates. We can't reduce the total for children who don't attend.

Ratios. We staff at 1:4 for children under 3 and 1:6 for ages 3 and up, adjusted for the group and the space.

Venue and space. You are responsible for providing a suitable, safe, indoor or covered care space with restroom access. We reserve the right to decline to provide care in a space we assess as unsafe, and the booking remains payable.

Weather. For outdoor events, you're responsible for a covered contingency space. Weather is not grounds for cancellation without the fees above.

Child release. Children are released only to a parent or the designated guardian named on your event roster. Caregivers may decline to release a child to an adult who appears impaired and will contact the host.

Sitters Plus for guests

Lets guests book individual in-room or in-home sitters around your event. The host pays a $150 non-refundable booking fee; guests pay individually for services, 3-hour minimum.

Church, Gym & Workplace Care

Recurring or one-off childcare for churches, gyms and fitness studios, and workplaces, booked through our app the same way as our sitter service. These services are separate from nanny placement.

• Caregiver pay, per caregiver $20/hour, 3-hour minimum
• Booking fee, one-off bookings $25 per booking
• Recurring bookings Membership pricing (see Sitter & Backup Care)

Caregivers are staffed to ratio by age (1:4 under 3, 1:6 ages 3 and up), and you provide a safe indoor space with restroom access. Cancellation, scheduling, weather, and communication terms from the Sitter & Backup Care section apply. Caregivers are paid by your organization through the app; our fee covers booking and coordination.

A La Carte Vetting

For families who prefer to run their own search. Each service is available individually.

• Nanny application review $50
• Phone screen $150
• Virtual interview $150
• Social-media screening $100
• Three reference checks $100
• Background check (third party; cost plus admin fee, confirmed before we run it) From $100
• Drug screening (third party, with candidate's written consent) $100

Select the services you want, and we'll manage the vetting and provide the information you need to decide. Non-solicitation terms apply to any caregiver introduced through these services.

Family & Nanny Consulting

Included at no additional cost for current placement clients. For non-clients, one-time consultations are $50 per hour with a one-hour minimum, payable at booking. Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice are non-refundable. Topics include hiring and vetting, expectations and agreements, first-day preparation, and working through challenges with a current nanny.

Schedule a consultation

Pet Care

Caregiver participation is optional. Not every caregiver offers pet care. Caregivers may decline it without affecting their standing, and we can't guarantee a specific caregiver is available for it.

Your disclosures. Before your first pet care booking you must disclose in writing any history of biting, aggression, or reactivity; any medical condition, medication, or dietary restriction; and any behavioral issue relevant to safe handling. Undisclosed aggression is grounds for immediate termination of the booking with full payment due.

Right to decline or leave. A caregiver may decline to handle, or may end a booking, if an animal behaves aggressively or the situation is unsafe. The booking remains payable in full.

Veterinary care. You authorize the caregiver to seek emergency veterinary care if your animal appears to be in distress, and you are responsible for all veterinary costs. Provide your veterinarian's contact information and an emergency contact before your first booking.

Entry. You are responsible for providing reliable entry. If a caregiver can't access your property at the scheduled time, the booking is charged in full.

Liability. Sandhills Nanny Co. is not liable for illness, injury, escape, or death of an animal, or for property damage or injury caused by your animal, except in cases of gross negligence. You agree to indemnify Sandhills Nanny Co. and the caregiver against any claim arising from your animal's behavior.

Not covered. We don't provide medical care beyond administering pre-measured medication you supply, and we don't transport animals except for emergency veterinary care.

Discounts

Military and first responder discount

Who qualifies. Active duty, Reserve, and National Guard service members; military retirees; military spouses; and full-time law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel.

What you get. 5% off placement fees only.

How to claim it. Upload your ID to your secure Sandhills Nanny Co. dashboard. Discounts apply from the date verification is received and are not applied retroactively. One discount per account; cannot be combined with prepaid packages, promotional rates, or other discounts. Does not apply to caregiver wages.

Military fee assistance

Separately from our discount, eligible military families may qualify for childcare fee assistance through the Department of Defense's in-home childcare program. Some of our caregivers are already qualified providers, and others are willing to complete the process for the right family. Ask us.

Liability & Agreement

1. Agency role and limitation of liability

Sandhills Nanny Co. operates as a referral and placement agency. We source, screen, and refer caregivers; we do not employ them, supervise their work in your home, or direct how care is provided. To the fullest extent permitted by North Carolina law, Sandhills Nanny Co. is not liable for the acts or omissions of any caregiver referred or placed, or for any injury, loss, or damage occurring during care. You retain responsibility for selecting your caregiver, setting household rules, and supervising the arrangement. Nothing in these terms limits liability for gross negligence, willful misconduct, or any liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.

2. Modifications

Modifications to a signed agreement must be in writing and signed by both parties. We may modify these terms at any time by posting updated terms on our website; continued use of our services constitutes consent to the updated terms.

3. Services as-is

All services are offered "as is," with all faults, and any implied warranties or conditions are expressly excluded.

4. Limitation of damages

Sandhills Nanny Co. shall not be liable for any consequential, incidental, special, indirect, or exemplary damages arising from or in connection with our services. This limitation applies regardless of any failure of a limited remedy's essential purpose.

5. Safety rules and comfort

Clients are responsible for establishing safety rules and identifying hazards in their home, and for providing emergency contact numbers to caregivers. You should never feel pressured to leave if you are not completely comfortable with the caregiver.

6. Client screening

For the safety of our caregivers, we screen client households before service begins. Screening may include identity verification and a review of public records. If screening surfaces information that leads us to decline service, we'll notify you. We reserve the right to decline or discontinue service at our discretion.

7. Drug-free, smoke-free environment

During any booking, the home, vehicles used for care, and immediate outdoor areas must be free of smoking and vaping and free of the use or odor of marijuana (medical or recreational), tobacco, illegal drugs, and related paraphernalia. This applies to all household members and guests. Our caregivers maintain clean drug screens and may decline or leave a shift if they detect smoke or drug odors, or impairment. If a violation is reported, the caregiver will be removed immediately, future services may be suspended or the account closed at our discretion, and previously rendered services are non-refundable.

8. Additional terms for Garden Montessori booking users

The client agrees to hold Graham & Keane, LLC, doing business as The Garden, harmless for any harm that may occur while the child is under the care of Sandhills Nanny Co. The client acknowledges that The Garden and Sandhills Nanny Co. are not affiliated outside of the discounted rate offered to enrolled students, and agrees that, to the fullest extent permitted by North Carolina law and subject to Section 1, Sandhills Nanny Co. will not be held responsible for any harm that may befall the child during care provided through this service.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Graham & Keane, LLC, DBA The Garden, and its officers or employees shall not be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of or related to the services provided by Sandhills Nanny Co., including lost profits, business interruptions, personal injury, or failure to meet any duty, even if The Garden has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

9. Employer responsibility

Sandhills Nanny Co. is not the employer of any nanny, sitter, or childcare provider introduced to you, and we do not provide tax, payroll, or legal services. You, as the client, are the household employer and are solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws related to wages, taxes, insurance, and employment classification. Any third-party payment platforms we offer for your convenience do not create an employment relationship between Sandhills Nanny Co. and your caregiver, and do not shift your obligations as the employer.

10. Acceptance

You accept these terms by booking a service, signing a service agreement, or continuing an active membership. Where you've also signed a separate service or placement agreement with us, that agreement controls if the two conflict.

11. Entire agreement

These terms, together with any signed service or placement agreement, are the entire agreement between you and Sandhills Nanny Co., and supersede any prior discussions, quotes, or arrangements.

12. Severability

If any provision is found unenforceable, it will be limited or removed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions stay in full force.

13. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Moore County, North Carolina, and both parties consent to that jurisdiction. Before filing any claim, both parties agree to attempt to resolve the dispute in good faith by contacting the other in writing and allowing 30 days to respond.

14. Confidentiality

Both parties agree to keep confidential any personal, family, financial, or business information learned through this relationship. This obligation survives the end of your membership or placement.

15. Photos and media

Caregivers do not post photos or identifying information about your children on social media. Caregivers may share photos with you directly through our app during a booking. If you'd like to allow us to use a photo in our marketing, we'll ask you separately in writing.

16. Emergency medical authorization

In an emergency, you authorize your caregiver to seek emergency medical treatment for your child and to contact emergency services. You're responsible for any resulting medical costs. Provide current emergency contacts, allergy information, and any medical conditions in your family profile before your first booking.

17. Insurance

Sandhills Nanny Co. carries general liability insurance. Our coverage does not extend to caregivers as employees of your household. Confirm your homeowners or renters policy covers in-home domestic employees, and consider workers' compensation coverage where required.

18. Privacy

Questions about how we handle personal information can be sent to info@sandhillsnannyco.com.

Questions

info@sandhillsnannyco.com  ·  (910) 986-3116

Not sure where to start? Book a free discovery call and we'll walk you through it.