03/01/2026
This week, we had the opportunity to speak with FOX Carolina News about an issue that is directly impacting many of the families we serve each and every day, the sudden loss of South Carolina Child Care Scholarship Program for Working Families.
With this funding currently on pause, no new applications are being accepted for the SC Scholarship. This went into effect December 1st, 2025. There are very few excepted allowed and here is no restoration in sight. While all families that currently receive funding will continue to have funding until their end date, once that date comes they will not be able to reapply. This will leave many hardworking parents in our community without safe, reliable, and high-quality childcare options. These vouchers have allowed families to go to work, attend school, and provide for their children while knowing they are in a nurturing and developmentally appropriate environment.
Without this support, many families are now facing impossible choices between maintaining employment and ensuring their children are cared for in licensed, highly qualified programs. In many cases, children are being kept by various family members or in unlicensed care arrangements that may not be equipped to provide safe or developmentally appropriate environments.
The loss of funding doesn’t just affect childcare providers; it also has a direct impact on teachers and staff. With fewer enrolled students, centers are facing reduced revenue, which can lead to staff having their hours cut or even losing employment. This creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond childcare programs and into the broader workforce and local economy.
These changes have lasting impacts not just on individual families, but on our community as a whole, affecting workforce stability, child safety, and access to quality early education.
We are thankful to have had the chance to share how these changes are affecting real families in real time, and we will continue advocating for the support that working parents and their children deserve.
Stay tuned for more information on when our interview will air.
