The problem with promising to save the spot is what happens if while you are saving the spot and losing income on it, another child in your care leaves. But when you advertise the only family that seems to need care right then is a family with two kids - you have one spot for the child that is leaving and a second spot for the family down the road whereas you could start getting paid for both spots fulltime right now.

I base a lot on timeline. I have two in care right now where the older one stayed fulltime during mat leave and that guaranteed them a spot for the second one for the end of Sept but I knew I had a child leaving to start school so it was about the same time so it was fine. Right now I have another child in care fulltime while mom is on mat leave and she will need care in July but her older child will start school but I have a teacher`s child also so we are sharing for the summer then baby gets brother`s spot. If it doesn`t work out like this for you then I would not be saving. A year is a long time for a mom to decide what to do which could also turn out to be not return to work at all and pull the older one part way through the year.

About 3-4 months before the space becomes available is when I would be having the parent think about committing to the spot and paying the deposit at that time just as if they were a new client which they are for the one space. Otherwise you would start to interview. Just as if someone you interviewed changed their mind they lose their deposit if they pull before the start date plus also need to give proper notice for the older child - two separate contracts.