Unavailable, Unaffordable: Polk Parents Struggle to Find, Pay for Child Care

For a spot in the baby room in the spring of 2027, parents should get on the list now — more than a year before conceiving.

“I always feel bad when people call and want to put their child here,” Precious Children co-director Kelly Dorfman said. But, she added, “there’s nothing we can do.”

Precious Children is not the only local child care center with a daunting waiting list. Six to 12 months is common among local providers.

Pregnant and stressed

Like most expectant moms, 32-year-old Rebecca Gardner worries. Her first baby is due in August and she’s trying to prepare…

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