South Carolina child care, camp and ratio rules

Child care licensing

DSS licenses private child care centers (13 or more children) and group child care homes (7 to 12 children); government-run centers get DSS 'approval', and church-run centers that take no public child care money and family child care homes (6 or fewer) are 'registered' (S.C. Code §§63-13-20, 63-13-1010). State law defines childcare as care for more than 4 but less than 24 hours a day on more than two days a week.

After-school and recreation programs: S.C. Code §63-13-20(4) excludes schools operating solely for education in grade 1 and up; 5-year-old kindergarten; programs of 4 hours a day or less for children under school age; school vacation or holiday day camps run in sessions under 3 weeks (unless children can enroll in back-to-back sessions totaling more than 3 weeks); summer resident camps; and vacation Bible schools. Because 'childcare' means care for more than 4 hours a day on more than two days a week, school-age programs open 4 hours a day or less appear to fall outside licensing; confirm with DSS.

Licensing agency: South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS), Division of Early Care and Education – Child Care Licensing

Sources: S.C. Code Regs. Chapter 114 (Regs. 114-500 to 114-509, licensed centers); S.C. Code Title 63, Chapter 13 (Childcare Facilities)

Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers

Rule: S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 114-504(B). Bands are 3–4, 4–5, 5–6 and 6–12 years; the regulations set no maximum group size. In mixed-age groups without infants or toddlers, the ratio follows the age of most of the children; with any infant or toddler, the youngest child's ratio applies. Church-operated centers follow a separate table (Regs. 114-524), and stricter ratios apply around water (age 5 and up: 2 staff per 25 children).

Work out your staffing with the ratio calculator

Summer camps

South Carolina has no youth camp license: the former state health regulation for camps (Reg. 61-39) was repealed in 2016. Summer resident (overnight) camps are exempt from child care licensing, and school vacation day camps are exempt only if they run in sessions under 3 weeks and don't let children enroll in back-to-back sessions totaling more than 3 weeks; other day camps fall under DSS child care licensing (S.C. Code §63-13-20(4)(e)–(f)).

Camp agency: South Carolina Department of Social Services (only for day camps that don't qualify for the exemption)

Sources: S.C. Code §63-13-20 (definitions and exclusions); S.C. Code Regs. 61-39 Camps (repealed 2016), in Chapter 61-18 to 61-58.17

Background checks

Before working in a licensed, approved or registered facility, caregivers and staff need a SLED state fingerprint check, an FBI fingerprint check, a DSS Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect check, and national (NCIC) and state sex offender registry searches, plus criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks in every state lived in during the past 5 years (S.C. Code §63-13-40(D)). Fingerprint checks are repeated every 5 years, or sooner if the person leaves child care for 6 months or more. Provisional hiring is allowed under strict supervision once the first checks clear.

Sources: S.C. Code §63-13-40 (background checks)

Giving medication

Staff may give medication only with a signed, dated parent consent form good for no more than one year (an electronic authorization, or phone authorization for a single dose, is allowed), following the label or the health care provider's written changes, and never expired (S.C. Code §63-13-185). Medicines stay in the original labeled container with the child's first and last name and child-protective caps, are kept locked, and each dose is logged right away with a copy to the parent; medication errors must be recorded and parents told immediately (Regs. 114-505(D)).

Free medication administration log

Sources: S.C. Code §63-13-185; S.C. Code Regs. 114-505(D)

Reporting child abuse

Listed professionals must report, including childcare workers in a childcare center, teachers, school counselors and principals, health and mental health professionals, clergy and law enforcement; anyone else may report and is encouraged to (S.C. Code §63-7-310). Reports go to the county DSS office or law enforcement; the statute does not set a specific deadline.

Sources: S.C. Code Title 63, Chapter 7 (§63-7-310); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect