college education

I am an unemployed 26 year old mother of a 7 year old child. I would like to go back to school because now an associates degree is not enought to live off of in the state of NY. Unfortunately due to my previous employer the company downsized and I was laid off. since then I have tried to search for employment on my own but the cost became to expensive. Now I had to apply for welfare and the employment search assistance program allows me to sit from 9-5 with nothing to do. They will not allow me to go to school in the am hours becuase its unfair to them that they have to work and go to school. I would go to school at night but now my situation turns in to a babysitting issue. I also feel a single mother she be able to be there for her child in the pm hours to help her child better her self in school. Now I am left emptyless and no where to turn .. I have no family I was a orphan of the state sice the age 7 to the age 19. and then released because I was considered an adult and not a child. I am struggling to pay rent by staying with my abusive exboyfriend and living as a prisioner in my home. All I want is my life back. A chance to better my self and become self sufficient so that I will not be classified as another statistic