South Carolina Child Care Scholarship Applications Temporarily Paused

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) has announced that new applications for the state’s Working Families Child Care Scholarship Program are temporarily paused as of Dec. 1. This program helps nearly 50,000 children in the state receive child care, and the pause comes amid concerns over potential reductions in federal funding.

DSS spokesman Will Batchelor stated that while current scholarship recipients will not lose their aid, new applicants must meet specific federally-protected criteria. These include families facing homelessness, domestic violence, disabilities, or those receiving certain federal welfare benefits.

Previously, eligible children aged up to 12 years qualified for scholarships if their parents’ income was 85% or below the state’s median income level, roughly $87,000 for a family of four. The financial support varies depending on the child’s age and the rating of the childcare center they attend.

Advocates and facility operators have expressed concerns that this pause could significantly affect families and childcare centers already under strain. Janet Bates, a leader of the Charleston chapter of Chamber of Moms, described the situation as “a Band-Aid solution that is now getting ripped away.”

Kimberly Thurman, who runs Kim’s Little Blessings Daycare in Bennettsville, emphasized the financial challenges ahead for rural families without the scholarships. “It’s going to be tough for parents who do not have the scholarships,” she said.

More than 1,900 centers across South Carolina accept the scholarships, and in 2024, 47,542 children received assistance. Georgia Mjartan, president of the Central Carolina Community Foundation, noted that a prolonged pause would hurt not only the families relying on the scholarships but also the operational viability of centers.

The funding for the program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was delayed due to the government shutdown. Batchelor indicated that the duration of the pause depends on the federal funding amounts that South Carolina will receive.

DSS has requested $20 million from the state’s 2026-27 budget to support the program and help fund 2,537 additional children, highlighting that previous federal relief spending had expanded eligibility following the pandemic. Legislative action is required to address the funding gap and support the child care infrastructure in the state.