The Division of Early Care and Education is a division of the South Carolina Department of Social Services that manages all state and federal child care programs, and serves as the single point of contact for federal child care dollars in South Carolina.
The mission of the division is to make child care more available and affordable to parents, and to increase the quality of care for all children in the state.
South Carolina Division of Early Care and Education consists of five major programs:
- Child Care Licensing ensures the health and safety of children in child care facilities subject to laws and Licensing regulations.
- ABC Quality is SC's voluntary quality rating and improvement system that helps providers achieve high standards of quality in caring for the children they serve.
- The Child Care Scholarships Program makes payments to child care providers to care for children from low-income families so their parents can work.
- The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) gives meal reimbursements to eligible child care and adult care providers for serving nutritious meals and snacks as a part of their program.
- SC Endeavors is the professional development system for South Carolina’s child care workforce.
Download the Programs Brochure
Contact Information
Child Care Operations Center
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Closed on State Holidays
Client Number: (800) 476-0199
Provider Number: (800) 262-4416
Complaint Line: (800) 763-2223
Mailing Address:
Child Care Scholarship Program
P.O. Box 100160
Columbia, SC 29202-3160
Child Care Licensing Central Office
Central Office: (803) 898-9020
Toll-Free: (800) 556-7445
Fax: (803) 898-9029
ABC Quality
Toll-Free:(800) 763-2223
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Toll-Free: (888) 834-8096
Main Line: (803) 898-0959
Monitoring: (803) 898-0971
SC Endeavors
Toll-Free: (866) 845-1555
Main Line: (864) 250-8581
Fax: (864) 250-8960
Email: SCEndeavors@dss.sc.gov
State Office
Main Line: (803) 898-2570
Disaster Line: (888) 825-7174 (Toll-Free)
