Not sure the agency can tell you not to spend the money but at the same time you know what rate the agency will pay you so as long as you charge the family the agency rate they would pay you then the back pay would go to the family - via you depending on the paperwork trail but you would still be getting the basic agency rate regardless from the day the family starts right. In other words it would be up to the family that wants to start now to pay the difference till their subsidy hearing and then get reimbursed for the excess fees paid. Your fee would be the same and you would have a child in care now. If for any reason they didn't get subsidy then they would either become a private client, a regular client through the agency or make alternate plans and you would lose the child but if you have a space not filled right now it might be worth the risk.