Downtown Portland KinderCare

If you are looking for child care you already know that your choices are limited in Portland. Availability is limited and costs are generally very high especially for infants. I did take this in consideration in writing this review and giving a one star rating. The rating is for reasons above and beyond these baseline circumstances.
Care: My daughter was cared for in the infant room here from two months old to six months old. My general perception of the care she received was very good. They only changed diapers every two hours. They say it can be more but hers were only changed every two hours which seemed to be adequate. She is also fed every two hours. Fair enough. She did seem to spend a lot of time in a lounge pillow, but she was comfortable there and only spent two half days per week there. The care givers were very kind and personable.
Cost: The cost, however an industry standard, is very high; $ 162 for two half days per week. The problem being that even if you don’t attend one week and the director is notified far in advance you still have to pay half of the weekly fee. Even if the facility is CLOSED, you still have to pay the weekly fee. I did decide to pay more to take my child to the Downtown KinderCare rather than other slightly cheaper options because I had perceived it to be of higher quality.
Security and Policies: This is where I was disappointed with the downtown KinderCare. First example: I was online and curious if any of the facebook posts or other online photos of my daughter would show up in a google search. I had seen a campaign to parents about children’s online identities and wanted to know what was out there… I was pretty shocked to find that my daughter’s name and photo (taken at kindercare) were featured in an article in the Oregonian without any knowledge of it by her father and I. The article was, in fact, printed. There are policies against photos and additional people (non-​parents and non-​staff) in the infant room. I checked the paperwork and found that I had signed a photo disclaimer for Internal use only. (NOT external, third party, nor public use). For example, labeling of her items with her photo. I am so shocked and amazed since I am provided with a paper detailing her day as to her naps, diapers, and what book was read to her but no one thought to offer this information to her parents. UPDATE: I have since received a verbal apology from the director. But I would recommend that parents skip the photo waiver. Second example: After a schedule change I asked to be added to the wait list at the downtown kindercare while my daughter attended a different kindercare. I was given an April estimated date to return to the downtown location. After the second location closed I was given a ‘fall’ estimation. With that I started to seek understanding in how the waitlist actually works. I was again shocked to finally learn that it is based on the centers bottom line profits and not sequence of the actual list. Meaning a full time schedule will be prioritized over a part time one unless by happenstance there is an opposite part time schedule. Fair enough. The main concern being that this was never disclosed to me. Again, important information was being withheld. There is no transparency there. I am an adult and appreciate the facts. I don’t appreciate being placated and given April and Fall dates when I may never be added to the schedule.

I love it here the staff are amazing & always listen to any concerns I might have. They are amazing with the kids & I couldn’t be happier!