South Carolina child care assistance.

The program that helps South Carolina families pay for child care, who can apply, how to apply, and how providers take part. Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The program in South Carolina

WhatDetails
ProgramChild Care Scholarship ProgramSource: Child Care Scholarship Program, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
Run bySouth Carolina Department of Social ServicesSource: Child Care Scholarship Program, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: who can apply

  • Since December 1, 2025, Working Families scholarship applications are paused unless the family is in a protected category.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • In a protected category, parents must work at least 15 hours a week, attend school or training, or have an open child welfare case.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Since October 1, 2026, families can join an online wait list for child care scholarships.Source: SCDSS Announces Launch of Child Care Scholarship Program Wait List, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • For Working Families scholarships from the wait list, children must be ages 0 to 5 and not in kindergarten.Source: SCDSS Announces Launch of Child Care Scholarship Program Wait List, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: how to apply

For providers: how to take part

  • A program takes part in the scholarship program by enrolling in ABC Quality, the state quality rating system.Source: ABC Quality Center-based Manual (March 17, 2025), South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • A program applies to ABC Quality online through its Organization Profile account in SC Endeavors.Source: ABC Quality Center-based Manual (March 17, 2025), South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Once the application is accepted, an ABC Quality assessor helps set up the program’s account so scholarship payments can be made.Source: ABC Quality Center-based Manual (March 17, 2025), South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Contact the regional office for your county to learn how to enroll in ABC Quality.Source: ABC Quality Enrollment, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.ABC Quality enrollment

Limits South Carolina publishes

Each figure as the program publishes it, with the date the source gives.

WhatFigureAs of
Income limit to enter, share of state median income55%Source: Child Care Income Guidelines, Effective October 1, 2026, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.October 1, 2026
Income limit to stay in the program, share of state median income85%Source: Child Care Income Guidelines, Effective October 1, 2026, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education. Checked November 3, 2026.October 1, 2026

Questions about child care assistance in South Carolina

What is the child care assistance program in South Carolina called?

Child Care Scholarship Program. It is run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services.

Who can apply for child care assistance in South Carolina?

Since December 1, 2025, Working Families scholarship applications are paused unless the family is in a protected category. In a protected category, parents must work at least 15 hours a week, attend school or training, or have an open child welfare case. Since October 1, 2026, families can join an online wait list for child care scholarships. For Working Families scholarships from the wait list, children must be ages 0 to 5 and not in kindergarten.

How do families apply in South Carolina?

Families in a protected category apply at the DSS Benefits Portal. Official page: https://benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov/#/login

How does a child care provider take part in South Carolina?

A program takes part in the scholarship program by enrolling in ABC Quality, the state quality rating system. A program applies to ABC Quality online through its Organization Profile account in SC Endeavors. Once the application is accepted, an ABC Quality assessor helps set up the program’s account so scholarship payments can be made.

Sources

Every source is an official government page.

About this page

We read each source above on an official government site on November 3, 2026. Each fact links to the page it came from.

If a fact is not here, we could not read it on an official page, so we left it out.

Programs change their rules, limits and forms. Confirm with the agency before you apply or enroll as a provider.

This page is a summary of public information. Bloomily does not run these programs or decide who qualifies.

More about child care in South Carolina

Child care assistance in other states

  • Alabama

    Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

  • Alaska

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Alaska Department of Health.

  • Arizona

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

  • Arkansas

    School Readiness Assistance, run by the Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood.

  • California

    CalWORKs Child Care, run by the California Department of Social Services.

  • Colorado

    Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

  • Connecticut

    Care 4 Kids, run by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.

  • Delaware

    Purchase of Care, run by the Delaware Division of Social Services.

  • District of Columbia

    DC Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).

  • Florida

    School readiness program, run by the Florida Department of Education.

  • Georgia

    Childcare and Parent Services, run by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

  • Hawaii

    Child Care Subsidy, run by the Hawaii Department of Human Services.

  • Idaho

    Idaho Child Care Program, run by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

  • Illinois

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Illinois Department of Early Childhood.

  • Indiana

    Child Care and Development Fund, run by the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.

  • Iowa

    Child Care Assistance, run by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

  • Kansas

    Child Care Assistance, run by the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

  • Kentucky

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Division of Child Care.

  • Louisiana

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Louisiana Department of Education.

  • Maine

    Child Care Affordability Program, run by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

  • Maryland

    Child Care Scholarship Program, run by the Maryland State Department of Education.

  • Massachusetts

    Child Care Financial Assistance, run by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

  • Michigan

    Child Development and Care, run by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.

  • Minnesota

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

  • Mississippi

    Child Care Payment Program, run by the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

  • Missouri

    Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Childhood.

  • Montana

    Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship, run by the Montana DPHHS Early Childhood and Family Support Division.

  • Nebraska

    Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

  • Nevada

    Child Care and Development Program, run by the Nevada Division of Social Services.

  • New Hampshire

    NH Child Care Scholarship Program, run by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration.

  • New Jersey

    New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program, run by the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development.

  • New Mexico

    Child Care Assistance, run by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department.

  • New York

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.

  • North Carolina

    Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program, run by the NC DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education.

  • North Dakota

    Child Care Assistance Program, run by the North Dakota Health and Human Services.

  • Ohio

    Publicly Funded Child Care, run by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.

  • Oklahoma

    Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Oklahoma Human Services.

  • Oregon

    Employment Related Day Care, run by the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care.

  • Pennsylvania

    Child Care Works, run by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

  • Rhode Island

    Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), run by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services.

  • South Dakota

    Child Care Assistance, run by the South Dakota Department of Social Services.

  • Tennessee

    Child Care Payment Assistance, run by the Tennessee Department of Human Services.

  • Texas

    Child Care Services, run by the Texas Workforce Commission.

  • Utah

    Employment Support Child Care, run by the Department of Workforce Services.

  • Vermont

    Child Care Financial Assistance Program, run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division.

  • Virginia

    Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Virginia Department of Education.

  • Washington

    Working Connections Child Care, run by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

  • West Virginia

    Child Care Assistance, run by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin Shares, run by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

  • Wyoming

    Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Wyoming Department of Family Services.

Billing a family with a subsidy

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