How to be a great Local family — respecting teens, setting clear expectations, and making the most of your membership.
Taking the time to vet your teen helper before the first session protects your children and builds a stronger relationship.
We strongly recommend arranging a brief in-person meeting before the first session — ideally with the teen's parent present. This helps you assess comfort, communication style, and fit. This can happen at your home, a local café, or a public community space in Foster City.
Read their bio, check their reviews, confirm their verified badges. Ask questions through the app before booking. Don't assume — confirm.
Be honest about your children's needs. Do not book a teen for care they're not equipped to handle — newborns, children with complex medical needs, or subjects outside their expertise.
Give clear written instructions: emergency contacts, medical information, dietary restrictions, behavioral notes, house rules, and your expected return time.
For any teen with fewer than 5 reviews, feel free to request a reference from a previous Local family. Teens can share references through the app.
Teen helpers plan their schedules around your bookings. Cancellations directly impact their income and reliability ratings.
Cancel via the Local app at least 24 hours before the session. Message the teen helper directly as well. No penalty applies for cancellations with adequate notice.
Late cancellations will forfeit 50% of the agreed session fee to compensate the teen helper for lost income.
If a teen arrives and no one is home without communication, 100% of the session fee is forfeited. Repeated no-shows may result in account suspension.
If you need to reschedule, do so in the app with at least 24 hours notice. Propose a new time and confirm directly with the teen. Do not assume availability.
The teens on Local are young professionals building their skills, reputations, and futures. How you treat them matters.
Pay the full agreed rate at the end of each session. Do not negotiate rates after a session. Do not delay payment. The agreed rate is the agreed rate.
Teens have their own schedules, families, and responsibilities. If you'll be late, communicate early and compensate for the extra time.
A teen babysitter's job is to supervise, engage, and keep children safe — not to clean your home. A tutor's job is to support learning, not guarantee grades.
All communication with your teen helper should remain within the Local app until you have an established, ongoing relationship.
Reviews on Local directly affect a teen's earning ability. Leave reviews based on actual performance — not personal frustration or circumstances outside the teen's control.
Do not ask teen helpers to perform tasks not in their listed services, manage emergencies alone, or stay significantly past agreed end times.
By creating a family account on Local, you agree to all of the following: