10 South Carolina Programs to Help Families Pay for Child Care

Finding quality child care is a common goal of parents and caregivers, but paying for child care costs is often difficult for many families.

Fortunately, in South Carolina, various resources are available to families in need of financial assistance for child care:

1. Child Care Scholarship Program. Formerly the SC Voucher Program, South Carolina’s Department of Social Services (DSS) makes payments to child care programs for eligible low-income families.
2. Dual Language Learner Voucher. Funded by DSS, this voucher is for families with a child ages 0-12 and speak a language other than English in the home.
3. Homeless Initiative Child Care Voucher. Families with a child ages 0-12 years old and currently experiencing homelessness, as defined by the McKinney Vento Act, may be eligible for this DSS-funded voucher.
4. Head Start and Early Head Start. These federally funded programs provide free early childhood education and health services to children from low-income families, from birth to five years old.
5. First Steps Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) Programs. Free Pre-K programs are available in public schools and other child care settings for 3- and 4-year-old children in South Carolina.
6. Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. This federal tax credit helps families pay for qualifying child care for children under 13, if the parents are working or looking for work.
7. Employer Dependent Care Assistance Programs (DCAPs). Your employer may offer a DCAP, which allows you to have money taken out of your paycheck tax-free and put into a special account to use for child care tuition reimbursement.
8. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This tax credit, based on family income and number of children in a household, is offered by the IRS to help low- to moderate-income families get a tax break.
9. South Carolina Tax Credits. The South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) offers families various deductions and credits to claim on their state tax returns.
10. In-Home Care or Nanny Tax. When you hire an in-home caregiver, you should be aware of laws regarding taxes, verification of employment eligibility and minimum wage.

Many resources are available for families to get financial support for child care. It’s important to remember that each program may have different qualifications, like income level, employment status or residency.

Take advantage of the state and federal resources available. Applying for eligible programs can help reduce the stress of your family’s child care experience.

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