Precious J. - Parent

Precious is a mother of two, raising a toddler while navigating the same frustrating child care challenges she faced years ago with her older daughter. When her now-teenage daughter was younger, she spent two years on a waitlist for child care. Now, history is repeating itself—her toddler has been stuck in the same lengthy, uncertain process. The waitlists feel endless, leaving her discouraged and without reliable care.

She also struggles with the limitations of the current support systems. She receives DTA cash assistance, but she explained that families in her situation often can’t obtain child care vouchers. Even when vouchers are available, they don’t always cover transportation. If a daycare doesn’t provide it, parents are left to figure it out on their own—an extra burden that many families simply can’t manage.

Precious lives in a single-income household with her partner and children, and without child care, finding work for herself has been nearly impossible. In the meantime, she attends Home Healthy Families playgroups with her toddler Monday through Friday. These playgroups have become a substitute for the child care she has been unable to access, providing some structure and social interaction for her child.