South Carolina Child Care Grants, Programs and Services
Whether you are looking to start a child care program in South Carolina or are a seasoned owner, there are many resources available to help fund your programs. Each state has a primary agency or organization responsible for subsidizing child care programs. They partner with local child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies and shared services organizations to raise awareness of grant opportunities and support the distribution of funding. They also provide additional programs and services to help you run your business.
South Carolina Child Care Grants, Programs and Services
Primary State Agency (Child Care Development Fund)
This primary agency oversees early care and education programs and services in South Carolina, and they are responsible for subsidizing child care programs from federal and state child care grants. Visit the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R Agency)
Child Care Resource & Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) are another great resource for assisting child care providers with available grants and funding and other resources. Visit South Carolina CCR&R.
Shared Services Organizations
The community of ECE leaders working to provide services to support sustainable child care programs is growing all the time. Reach out to your local organizations to learn more about their services. Visit Palmetto Shared Services Alliance and First Steps.
NAEYC Regional Affiliates
Join your local NAEYC affiliate to connect with professionals in your community at conferences, networking events, leadership opportunities, advocacy efforts and more. Visit South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (SCAEYC).
Champions of Mixed Delivery Monthly Call
The Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC) and National Child Care Association (NCCA) and are partnering to offer Champions of Mixed Delivery, a series of monthly check-in calls to share and receive updates about key proposals, coordinate messaging and talking points and share resources for advocacy. View dates and register for a call here.
South Carolina Child Care Licensing Requirements
Learn more about child care licensing requirements in South Carolina.
Learn more about South Carolina early learning standards.
South Carolina Early Childhood Education Quality Ratings, Curriculum and Assessments
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS)
Child care providers earn a rating when they meet quality standards. Many states require these quality standards in order to receive grants and additional funding. View ABC Quality to learn more about standards in South Carolina.
State-Aligned Curriculum
Procare Solutions is partnering with Learning Beyond Paper to provide curriculum to our customers. Procare Early Learning Powered by Learning Beyond Paper is QRIS ABC Quality-approved (although not for the 4K preschool program) and provides a 100% digital curriculum and assessments addressing the needs of child care centers, daycares, preschools and early learning teachers.
ECE state-approved curriculum programs provide consistency, quality assurance, comprehensive development and teacher support, all contributing to a strong educational foundation. Aligning with state-approved ECE curriculum is also essential for securing grant funding and providing high-quality education.
Assessments
Simplify the assessment process and meet South Carolina state standards with a unique early childhood assessment framework that makes clarity a key strength of your child care center’s assessments and communications.
Average Cost of Child Care in South Carolina
Understanding the cost of child care in South Carolina is important for both parents and child care providers.
Annual Child Care Costs in South Carolina
South Carolina has some of the lowest child care costs by state. The average child care center charges $9,048 per year for child care services.
Child Care Affordability in South Carolina
South Carolina is one of the few states where infant care costs substantially less than either rent or college tuition. The median household spends just over 9% of that on center-based infant care for a single child.
View child care costs in other states.
South Carolina Professional Development Training RequirementsÂ
In South Carolina it is required that early childhood professionals complete 15 hours of professional development every calendar year. Training hours and continuing education units (CEUs) are documented in each person’s professional development record in the South Carolina Endeavors Registry. Be sure to create and manage your registry profile to track and document your training hours to comply with South Carolina state licensing requirements for ECE professionals. Visit the National Database of Child Care Regulations website to find licensing regulations and requirements in your state.
Bertelsen Education, a Procare Solutions Company provides IACET-accredited courses that meet state licensing requirements. Visit BertelsenEducation.com to purchase.Â
Professional Development Resources
Professional development programs are designed to encourage, support and recognize early childhood professionals seeking to expand their skills to raise the quality of their programs. View a list of professional development resources for child care providers here.