The waiting list for Section 8 housing is one year or longer. The waiting list for low income housing is 1 - 3 years. There are often no back-up plans if care givers or children are sick and there is a great need for care from middle to late afternoons. A shift to more flexible schedules would be extremely helpful, e.g. a 6-hour day allowing working through the lunch hour or the permission to leave to pick up a sick child. There is a waiting list for Head Start.
Transportation is another major issue.
Many recipients have no car and lack public transportation to their work or they often work later hours when public transportation is not available. Retail is one of best employers in Lake County, for example, but there is no transportation available to Milwaukee avenue from areas where welfare recipients live. Adjustment to working is also an issue. Some may be at their first job in many years and have physical and mental stress making lifestyle changes. A workday may be 12 - 14 hours including child care drop off and pickup and transportation.