‘A world of hurt’: S.C. child care voucher to be paused
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The South Carolina Department of Social Services is temporarily pausing new applications for a child care scholarship program that helps more than 50,000 families afford care.
The Working Families Child Care Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to parents, but DSS announced it will stop approving most new applications starting Dec. 1. The department did not specify how long the pause will last.
DSS said federal funding they used for some vouchers ran out last year, and the government shutdown has delayed additional funding they are still receiving.
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Parent Kayla Stivers has two children in the program and said her current scholarship expires early next year. She is worried she won’t be able to reapply.
“A lot of families are about to be in a world of hurt,” Stivers said. “I’m a single mom, I work full time, I go to school full time. I have two boys and they go to aftercare... and I wouldn’t be able to afford their aftercare if I lose my voucher.”
The pause will impact child care providers as well. Miss Tammy’s Little Learning Center said a majority of children they care for use the scholarship program.
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At their Boiling Springs location, 72 percent of children use the voucher. At their Inman location, 78 percent of children use the voucher. At their other locations, over 50 percent of children are on the program.
The center is worried that families losing vouchers will have to pull their children from care.
“As a provider, we have never seen anything like this,” Thomas Compton, region director for Miss Tammy’s, said. “It’s stressful, overwhelming, and just kind of worrying. Because not only are we worrying about these students, we are also worrying about these parents, and then we’re also worrying about our staff members.”
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DSS said the length of the pause will be determined by the federal Child Care and Development Fund allocation for next year. DSS has also requested $20 million in state funds for 2026-2027 to help with this issue.
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