For survivors of domestic violence, childcare is not optional. It is the foundation for:
Project CARE is leading a movement to recognize childcare as a core component of safety planning for survivors of domestic violence.
We advocate for policies that:
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Before Maya found Project CARE, she was trapped in an abusive relationship and terrified of what leaving would mean for her one-year-old daughter - and for their financial survival. She technically had an apartment in her name, but her partner controlled much of their life. Without safe, reliable childcare, she could not see how she would manage court, work, and rebuild her life on her own.
As she put it, “The main reason I was staying in the relationship was because I didn’t know that there was childcare available.” Without childcare, every option looked like a choice between safety and survival: miss work and lose income or stay in danger.
Maya’s turning point came when she chose to file for a Protection from Abuse order and called the domestic violence hotline. From there, a Laurel House advocate connected her to Project CARE. That connection did not “save” her - she was already doing the hard work of leaving - but it removed a critical barrier she had been trying to solve alone: who would care for her daughter while she protected their future.
With that support, Maya secured a trauma-informed early-learning placement for her daughter. As her little one settled into a nurturing classroom, Maya saw big changes. Before, her daughter had been “kind of zoned out” and in survival mode alongside her. Now, she sees a toddler who is thriving - exploring, playing independently, and walking into childcare happy and eager to be there.
Because she knew her child was safe, Maya could fully show up for the steps that directly affect her economic stability and independence: keeping her job and showing up reliably for shifts; attending court and legal appointments that secured safer housing and financial protections; going to therapy so she could function at work and at home; and negotiating with landlords and service providers from a calmer, more grounded place.
As she told us, “That this literally made me able to start the healing process. And be more confident in who I am. And as I can, I’m slowly starting to be able to save money for emergencies. And I would not be able to do that if I still had to pay childcare.”
Over time, her daily life began to look very different. Using the stability that child care provided, Maya built a safer economic and emotional foundation for herself and her daughter: an apartment her abuser has never been in, a routine that allows her to work, parent, and heal, and the beginnings of a financial safety net rather than constant crisis.
When asked what she would tell another survivor considering Project CARE, Maya was clear:
Maya’s story shows what becomes possible when a parent’s courage and determination are met with practical, trauma-informed support. Project CARE did not change who she is - it helped create the conditions where her strength, care for her daughter, and determination could finally take root and grow into both safety and economic independence.
When “Amina” first connected with Project CARE, she had already done the hardest part: she had left an abusive marriage, moved from Maryland to Pennsylvania with her two young daughters, and started over completely on her own.
Amina is an educated woman and now works as a teller at a bank. Before that, she worked at Walmart. But as a single mom without any family nearby, the math of daily life simply did not add up. She has to leave the house by 6:45 a.m. to open her branch by 8:30 a.m., while her daughters’ school day doesn’t begin until 8:45. She needs before-care, after-school care, and summer camp -because, as she put it, “for a single mom, two girls? No. It’s not at all. It’s impossible.”
Her rent alone is a “big chunk” of her paycheck - $1,600 for a one-bedroom apartment in a safe area. On top of that are the basics: food (for “growing girls who need chicken, they need food”), clothes as their sizes constantly change, gas, car costs, and all the invisible labor of running a household alone. “If I put the stress on the credit card, I will fall,” she explained.
Without affordable, reliable childcare, Amina’s entire economic foundation would collapse. There is simply no way she could keep her job, pay rent, and keep her daughters safe.
Through a connection from her doctor to Laurel House, and then to Project CARE, Amina was able to secure consistent before- and after-school care and summer camp for both of her daughters. For her, that support is not a luxury—it is the backbone of her family’s stability. When asked what has been most helpful, she didn’t hesitate: “Daycare. Before/after care. If you ask me to be very honest... before and after care.”
Knowing her girls are in a nurturing, developmentally appropriate environment allows her to:
Her daughters are thriving in care—confident, engaged, talkative, and building strong relationships with their caregivers. Amina says, “Mom doesn’t have time to teach them, but the caregivers are
doing. I cannot do enough. Thank you to them.” She describes her routine now as “steady” and
“predictable,” and says that with childcare in place, she can finally run her “circle” each month—
work, rent, food, and bills—without everything crashing down.
Project CARE has also been a key part of her emotional and mental health support network. She attends counseling during her breaks and feels "more confident, positive," and more hopeful about the future. She talks about this season as a "rewiring and transformation" phase: "I'm rewiring myself; to be honest... it's a transformation phase. I want to fly. I'm going to show them the colors of rainbow."
One moment stands out clearly in her memory. When a billing issue with an after-school program threatened to block her daughters from attending, Amina was terrified—if they were turned away, she would not be able to work. Project CARE staff stepped in, communicated with the program, and advocated so her daughters could continue attending while the issue was resolved. She describes that day as a turning point: "You have no idea... she was an angel that day." In her words, having someone step in so she could keep working meant she didn't "shut down" under the stress.
For Amina, this isn't about being rescued. It's about having the right support so her own strength and determination can actually move her family forward. When asked what Project CARE has made possible, she answered simply:
And when she thinks about funders and community leaders, her message is clear:
Amina's story shows what happens when a survivor's courage and work ethic are matched with practical, trauma-informed childcare support: stable employment, rent paid on time, children who are learning and thriving, and a mother who is slowly , steadily, building the economic and emotional foundation her family needs.