If your spaces are filled I wouldn't make any promises until a couple of months before the new family wants to start and get the deposit and contract signed at that time. Just explain that it is too difficult for a home daycare provider to predict what will be happening in her business in a year's time.

I tried holding a space for 6 months one time, but I couldn't do it financially. The family wasn't paying anything, just was hoping for the space. However, I have a family on mat leave right now who are still bringing their little boy 3 days/week, then he goes to JK in Sept. and his space will be empty for 4 months or so before the new baby starts next Jan/Feb. So I'm going to ask the family to pay $200/month as a holding fee for the months that are sitting empty.

It's going to wreak havoc on my income and budgeting but it's worth it to keep this family for another 3 1/2 years. They have already been with me for 3 1/2 years and they are top-notch.

Last year I held a space for 2 months and another one for 3 months before the families started and I collected the deposits, the signed contracts and $100/month holding fees because the spaces were empty.