The crappy thing about the child care centers (they take care of children not days) is when they budget, they project the maximum children they can take paying the full tuition. The number 1 expense is wages and they are required to maintain a very strict teacher to child ratio by DHS (Department of Human Services). If you don't pay your monthly fees then, they can't pay your child's teacher, and if they can't the teacher they could have 4-15 children looking for different child care. They won't cut the job of their business manager, supervisor and the other support staff.
In-home child cares usually have 1 person that is the supervisor, business manager, cook, and teacher. So pretty much all the profit goes to them or split with 1 or 2 helpers they might have. Thus they will be more likely to work with you on such situations.
Simple economics really.
I completely agree. I am a contracted controller for a new (opened in September) daycare in Waukee and the ratios are the key to running a daycare. If one kids is gone, you still have to pay the teacher the same rate becasue she needs to be there to ensure the ratios are intact. However, as this is a fairly new operation and not quite full in all age groups, we work with people to make things work.