Dependent Care FSA question

[lessel]

We have some kid school changes on the horizon. Mainly my youngest is going to be going to a special ed pre-k program starting in December at our public school, so he'll no longer be going to private daycare/pre-k. I was just about to re-enroll in our dependent care FSA open season for the full $5k that I have every year for the past several years, and it just dawned on me that I don't know if/how we'll use it in 2023. I'm guessing we'll need summer camp coverage for both boys, but I cannot even plan that far ahead yet... I'm not sure if we'll do day camps or some mix of grandparents and maybe babysitting. The latter of which we wouldn't need the DCFSA for. 

So I'm guessing that I shouldn't re-enroll in it... but if May rolls around and we're SOL for finding a sitter or something, can I enroll at that point? There's a line about 'qualifying life events' and this very vague one is listed: "Change in child care or elder care provider, change in cost, or change in coverage." 

Anyone run into something similar before?

[definitelyO]

Our company is pretty flexible around a qualifying event for dependent care FSA. If you situation changes - as in - you thought you wouldn't need childcare over the summer but then find out you need it - we would allow the enrollment. However, you should email your benefit department to ask them and see where they align on QLE.

If I was going to have my mom watch DS for free - but then she couldn't and I needed to enroll in all day care - that would be a change in cost. If your daycare closed and you had to move to a different care situation - that would be a change in provider, etc...