Parents scrambling to find childcare after Rolesville daycare announces closure

Northern Wake County parents have just a few weeks to find new childcare for their kids. Amber Clark said she cried when she opened the letter notifying her that the locally-owned Rolesville daycare center, Rhymes & Reasons, was closing down for good
Posted 4/16/2024, 11:20:10 PM Updated 4/17/2024, 12:58:06 PM

FOR MORE ON THE RULING, GO TO

THE NC CAPITOL SECTION OF WRAL

DOT COM.

>> SEVERAL PARENTS HAVE JUST A

FEW WEEKS TO FIND NEW CHILD

CARE FOR THEIR KIDS. IT COMES

AFTER THEY GOT A LETTER SAYING

A LOCALLY OWNED ROLESVILLE

DAYCARE CENTER WAS CLOSING FOR

GOOD WRAL'S DESTINY. PATTERSON,

TALK TO PARENTS SCRAMBLING TO

MAKE SURE THEIR KIDS ARE TAKING

CARE OF DURING THE DAY.

>> THIS DAYCARE CENTER THAT'S

BEEN OPEN FOR MORE THAN 25

YEARS WILL CLOSE DOWN FOR GOOD

NEXT MONTH. AND NOW PARENTS

ARE RACING AGAINST THE CLOCK

TRYING TO FIND NEW CHILDCARE.

BUT THE MAIN HURDLES COMES DOWN

TO TUESDAY'S AVAILABILITY AND

AFFORDABILITY.

>> AMBER CLARK IN HER HUSBAND'S

2 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER GREW UP

HERE. THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE

SHE'S KNOWN SINCE SHE WAS 3

MONTHS OLD. ALL GOOD THINGS

MUST COME TO AN END. A CLASSIC

SAYING THAT NOW APPLIES TO

THEIR DAUGHTER'S HOME AWAY FROM

HOME. IN A LETTER, THE RAMS IN

REASONS OWNER SAYING TO

RETIREMENT COVID IN STAFFING

CHALLENGES FOR ITS CRY. IT'S A

STRESS FELT BY THE WHOLE

COMMUNITY. A LOT OF PLACES

AROUND HERE EITHER HAVE A

RIDICULOUS WAITLIST.

>> OR THE PRICES ARE JUST LIKE

SO OUT OF BUDGET. NORTH

CAROLINA IS CONSIDERED A

CHILDCARE DESERT ON AVERAGE

MORE THAN 5 FAMILIES WITH

INFANTS AND TODDLERS.

>> ARE COMPETING FOR EVERY

AVAILABLE LICENSED CHILDCARE

SPACE. WHEN THE KIDS DO GET

ENROLLED, IT COMES WITH A PRICE

TAG. SOME OF CALLED HAVE BEEN

1500 A MONTH.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE

DECISION BETWEEN AS ONE PARENT

JUST QUIT THEIR JOB AND STAY

AT HOME. BECAUSE ALL OF THEIR

PAYCHECK WILL GO TO CHILD CARE.

THAT'S SO UNFORTUNATE. AND IT'S

SO UNFAIR. THE OWNER DID SEND

HOME SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO

OTHER LOCALLY OWNED DAY CARE

CENTER'S THAT FAMILIES CAN SEND

THEIR KIDS TO OFFICIALLY CLOSE

HERE ON MAY. 3RD DESTINY.

PATTERSON, WRAL NEWS, WAKE

COUNTY.

>> LAWMAKERS INTRODUCED A NEW

BILL TO HELP ADDRESS ISSUES

LIKE STAFFING SHORTAGES OF

THESE CHILD CARE CENTERS.

AND THEN TO ENCOURAGE NEW CHILD

CARE CENTERS TO OPEN. IT'S NOT

A WHOLE LOT, BUT THESE

PROVIDERS WOULD GET UP TO

$5,000 IN TAX CREDITS. EVERY

DOLLAR COUNTS. YOU CAN READ