South Carolina Opens Child Care Scholarship Waitlist for Working Families
The state opened an online waitlist on October 1 for the Working Families Child Care Scholarship. Joining does not guarantee help; it depends on funding.
The Woodruff Times reported on October 7, 2026 that the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) opened an online waitlist on October 1 for child care scholarship help for working families. Here is our summary of the main points.
What changed: DSS stopped taking scholarship applications in December 2025 after federal pandemic-era funding ran out. The agency says it has received no new state or federal scholarship money and will use existing eligible resources as funding becomes available. Joining the waitlist does not guarantee a scholarship.
Who it is for: The waitlist is for the Working Families Child Care Scholarship, aimed at parents and caregivers who do not fall under the federally protected categories of the traditional state scholarship program. Children must be ages 0 to 5 and not yet in kindergarten, with help limited to two children per household. Parents or caregivers must be working, in school or training, or temporarily or permanently disabled, and must verify it.
Income: To apply, household income must be at or below 55 percent of the state median income. Once approved, help continues until the child ages out or household income rises above 85 percent of the state median, as long as other requirements are met. The new income guidelines took effect October 1.
Cost and length: Some families owe a copayment based on household size and gross monthly income. Households at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level pay no copayment. Approved children get 12 months of eligibility.
If you are selected: Families chosen from the waitlist receive a unique online application link. You must already have chosen and secured a child care provider, and you have 15 calendar days to finish the application, submit documents and confirm enrollment with the provider. DSS says it will enforce that deadline strictly.
Where to start: Join the waitlist through the DSS Benefits Portal at benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov. Program details and updates are at scchildcare.org.
This is our own summary of reporting by The Woodruff Times. Read the full story at the source link, and confirm current rules with DSS.