Lone Fellow?

Does anyone else have an attendance challenge? I have a population of participants who are challenged by lack of transportation, lack of child care and frequent crises. We acknowledge at the agency that all of these problems are typical for people living in the culture of poverty. I know and see that the barriers to attendance are real. They must be overcome for the program to succeed though. I have a feeling that some level of acceptance by the agency staff and participants contributes to the problem.

Does anyone have any guidance about creating an environment that tackles the attendance problem rather than passively accepting it as a sort of "side-effect" of poverty? How to strike the balance between understanding and pressure to make things change?

Thanks,
Mica