TAMPA, Fla. — Disgust and disbelief came Wednesday as parents reacted to the fact that two leaders with their children's former daycare — Children's Land of Imagination Academy — had been charged with child abuse.
And the alleged abuse was caught on camera.
"I don't know what else to say except that it's disgusting," said Elizabeth Carpenter.
"I can't believe that a person could look at a child and hurt them in the way that they did these kids," said Kelly Autrey.
It's a scary experience that has both moms shaken but also still in need of child care after pulling their sons out of the facility.
Carpenter said she has family members to fall back on.
"The only person that I trust to take care of my kid is my family," said Carpenter.
Autrey said that's just not the case, and now she's stuck on a waiting list.
"We're only looking at places that have live feed cameras," she said.
It's a reality ABC Action News heard over and over from Tampa Bay area parents — that they're struggling to find quality and affordable childcare.
Data from the Center for American Progress shows that there are gaps in access, known as "daycare deserts," right here in the Tampa Bay area.
But even in areas where there is access, the wait for many continues, and experts said the reason why is layered.
The interim CEO for the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, Gary Meyer, told ABC Action News he works with more than 1,000 childcare providers in the community.
He said many are currently struggling with staffing.
"We do hear that there is a struggle recruiting and retaining teachers," Meyer said.
Meyer said part of it comes down to money, and the ELC of Hillsborough is working to address that.
"We've had a $4 million workforce initiative, where we're providing childcare providers with stipends for hiring new teachers, for retaining them," said Meyer.
It's a complaint that the folks over at Hillsborough Community College's Quality Early Education System (QEES) hear too.
They're working to address it by beefing up the support would be early education teachers receive while in training.
"What we try to do here at the college is provide a space where they can thrive while they're learning," said the Program's Director, Marni Lebowitz Fuente.
And little by little, Fuente said, they're seeing success.
"Once you start changing the lens so that an individual can understand how powerful it is to be an educator and that you can have an impact that's going to last generations to come. That's the 'aha' moment," she said.
If you're looking for help in finding a safe and credentialed place to send your kids, the ELC of Hillsborough County has an entire department devoted to just that.
You can contact them via phone at (813) 515-2340 or via their website at https://www.elchc.org/.
