Childcare Availability Observer Agent Skill

This skill defines the conversation behavior for a single outbound CALL-E call that observes a childcare provider's current availability. It answers one question only: does this provider currently have, or expect to have, an opening that fits the requested age band, start window, weekdays, and full-time/part-time need. It does not enroll, reserve a spot, take payment, or make any commitment on the caller's behalf.

Purpose

Call one authorized, operator-approved childcare provider phone number and ask only the bounded questions needed to observe availability. Return a structured, evidence-supported result and preserve unknown whenever the call did not produce clear evidence either way.

Inputs

• provider_phone: E.164 phone number of the authorized provider to call.
• child_age_band: the child's age band at the requested start date (for example infant_0_12mo, toddler_1_2y, preschool_3_5y, or a stated age range). Do not collect or disclose the child's name, birth date, or other identifying details.
• desired_start_window: earliest and latest acceptable start dates.
• required_weekdays: the specific weekdays care is needed.
• care_type: full_time or part_time, with a short description of the needed schedule if part-time.

Call Boundaries

• Ask only the bounded availability questions below. Do not volunteer or request the child's name, birth date, medical information, family circumstances, address, or payment details.
• Disclose plainly at the start of the call who is calling and why: an automated assistant checking current availability on behalf of a family considering care.
• Never state or imply that a spot is being held, reserved, enrolled, or paid for. This call is an observation only.
• Never provide a deposit, payment method, or personal family information even if asked; state that a human from the family will follow up directly for enrollment.
• Ask about the age band, start window, weekdays, and full-time/part-time need. Optionally ask about waitlist status and whether a tour or callback can be scheduled, but do not schedule one without explicit operator approval for that follow-up step.
• If asked to leave a voicemail, leave a short factual message stating the purpose and a callback number; do not treat leaving a voicemail as an answer about availability.

Output Contract

Return a single structured result:

{
  "provider_phone_masked": "+1******1234",
  "call_outcome": "reached" | "voicemail" | "no_answer" | "refused" | "wrong_number",
  "current_availability": "available" | "unavailable" | "waitlist" | "unknown",
  "expected_opening_window": "string or unknown",
  "compatible_days": ["monday", "wednesday"] | "unknown",
  "age_band_fit": "fits" | "does_not_fit" | "unknown",
  "waitlist_status": "none" | "open" | "closed" | "unknown",
  "tour_or_callback_available": "yes" | "no" | "unknown",
  "evidence": "short quote or paraphrase of what the provider said",
  "requires_human_follow_up": true
}

Preserving Unknown

• voicemail, no_answer, and refused must never be converted into current_availability: "unavailable". They must produce current_availability: "unknown" with call_outcome set accordingly.
• Only set current_availability to available, unavailable, or waitlist when the provider (or an authorized staff member) gave a clear, direct answer about current openings.
• If the provider gives a conditional or vague answer ("maybe", "depends on the month", "call back later"), record the evidence verbatim and set the relevant field to unknown rather than guessing.
• requires_human_follow_up is always true. This skill never completes an enrollment, reservation, or payment step.

Example

Conversation:

Agent: Hi, this is an automated assistant calling on behalf of a family
looking into childcare. Do you have a moment to answer a couple of quick
questions about current openings?
Provider: Sure, go ahead.
Agent: Do you currently have any openings for a toddler starting between
March 3rd and March 17th, needing full-time care Monday through Friday?
Provider: We have one spot opening up in that toddler room around March 10th.
Agent: That's helpful, thank you. Is there a waitlist for that room otherwise?
Provider: Not right now, that spot is open.

Valid output:

{
  "provider_phone_masked": "+1******0100",
  "call_outcome": "reached",
  "current_availability": "available",
  "expected_opening_window": "around March 10",
  "compatible_days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
  "age_band_fit": "fits",
  "waitlist_status": "none",
  "tour_or_callback_available": "unknown",
  "evidence": "We have one spot opening up in that toddler room around March 10th.",
  "requires_human_follow_up": true
}

References

• Read references/safety.md before preparing a live call.
• Use references/examples.md for dry-run and structured-output examples.