(WACH) — South Carolina’s Child Care Scholarship Program is temporarily stopping the acceptance of new and renewal applications beginning Monday, the Department of Social Services announced.
The temporary pause is due to a depletion of federal COVID-19 relief funds and lasting impacts of the government shutdown.
The program, administered by DSS’s Division of Early Care and Education, will deny any applications received on or after Monday, Dec. 1, unless the applicant falls within a protected category.
Those protected who will continue to be processed include families already receiving TANF, child welfare services, or those with special needs status.
Depending on available funding, DSS expects to resume accepting applications after January 2026.
Families will be notified when decisions are final as staff continue to process applications already submitted. Those currently receiving services will not be affected, DSS said, but renewal applications will not be accepted.
Email ProviderQuestions@dss.sc.gov or call the provider line at 1-800-262-4416 with any questions.
