I was just our small town park speaking to a parent and I found our conversation interesting. She was speaking about how her Daughter lives in Ottawa and "actually had to sign a contract for Childcare, had to pay for holidays etc." and she was saying how that's "unheard of here". Thinking back to my Childcare search in our small town,except for larger centers, I never saw a contract either. That's not to say that I would have had any problem with one. I, for sure use one now and have not had a problem...but perhaps in your situation you are dealing with this attitude toward a contract? Just a thought.