South Carolina DSS Implements Strict Eligibility Rules for Child Care Funding

The South Carolina Department of Social Services has implemented dramatic eligibility rules for child care funding, affecting roughly 2,300 state-licensed centers and homes statewide. The new rules require that only low-income families whose children are in a federally protected category—including those with a disability, experiencing homelessness, or receiving welfare benefits—can apply for aid. This change follows a period where the center in Spartanburg was receiving government assistance for 70 children, but enrollment has since fallen to 38.

The eligibility criteria for aid have been dramatically tightened, with the DSS reportedly stopping routine scholarship renewals. Previously, scholarships provided an average of $750 per child, which accounted for about 90 percent of typical child care costs in South Carolina. The decline in this support structure is leading to a spike in center closures.