Is this typical practice?

[apples and bananas]

You know what I would do.... I would call the caregiver from a blocked number and respond to her ad. Then, once you are certain it's the same lady, I would let her know who you are and tell her that all she had to do was introduce herself properly and you would have been happy to share your information with her. Networking between providers is a good thing. There can be a lot of benefits to it. AS a matter of fact, when I am really low in clients I'll call local providers, introduce myself, let them know I have drop in space and I'd appreciate them reffering me if they are full or if they need a day off.