Where has Gilbert Corsey been lately? |

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Have you wondered why Gilbert Corsey has been missing lately from WDRB News at 4?

It's because of a problem that faces many Louisville families: a lack of child care.

Gilbert and his wife, Diane, welcomed beautiful twins — Gabby and Grace — in November. In March, their primary child care provider was no longer able to watch the babies due to an injury that required surgery.

Gilbert has been working part-time, anchoring WDRB News at 10 after taking care of the twins during the day.

"I just want to thank all the viewers who sent messages to my email or social media accounts or messaged the station wondering about my absence, " Gilbert said. "I'm blessed to be a part of a community that cares."

The Corsey family found themselves in an eye-opening struggle that facing countless other Louisville parents. The child care industry in the city is reeling from a labor shortage. Look outside most day cares in the city and you will find a now hiring sign. With these facilities short employee they can't take-in more children, especially babies due to state-mandated adult-to-child ratio.

In Kentucky, child care centers must adhere to a 1-to-5 ratio. One adult for every five children under the age of 1.

And who wants to put newborns in a daycare that lacks staff?

Gilbert Corsey's Daughters

The nanny field is even tighter. Because child care is a premium, qualified nannies can family shop or hop, looking for the best position for them.

"This story is not about a complaint," Gilbert said. "I was fortunate, but this is a community-wide problem not being talked about in public enough. The child care shortage is forcing families into impossible situations where one parent must consider leaving their job and the financial fallout from that or leaving their kids with someone they'd rather not."

Louisville recently passed a new ordinance allowing space for more at home day cares. The measure makes zoning changes to help increase access to affordable child care in the city.

"This ordinance is personal to me, because I've lived the challenges of our broken child care system along tens of thousands of other Louisville moms," Metro Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong said in a March new conference on the child care shortage.

Community Coordinated Childcare told Metro Council in March that 15 years ago, the commonwealth had more than 1,200 family child care providers. Now, the state has fewer than 250, and the COVID-19 pandemic made things even worse.

"We want to have a functioning child care landscape for Louisville's residents and we believe we can improve and expand upon what we have with this new law," Fischer said as he signed the ordinance.

The Corseys have since found a great nanny for the twins, and Gilbert rejoined the 4 p.m. anchor team Monday.