I agree, daycare spaces can be available anytime of the year due to maternity leaves, moves, job changes etc,. Generally we have a rough idea 2 - 4 months in advanced when a family may be leaving childcare however it can sometimes be difficult becuase most of us only require 2 - 4 weeks notice and some families only give the minium notice needed.

I have been approached 6 months to a year in advance and that is very difficult for me to determine if a space will be available, 2 - 5 months is pretty much the average, however I do have some families who inquire only weeks before they need childcare.

My thoughts would be to start your research and inquiries now, maybe look at caregivers' websites, start a list of caregivers who may have space, start narrowing down which ones you feel might suit your needs, then possibly interview some. If you find do find a caregiver who you feel will be the best fit for your family and the space becomes available before you need it, you might need to consider a reservation fee to hold the space or keep searching for another daycare.

For me I am a planner, so I would prefer having daycare arrangements settled earlier than later. But both usually work out in the end I also love having knowing that my spaces are filled rather than waiting until just before they become available.