B.Wright and K. Boling

1. South Carolina wants the best for its children – and that means
ensuring safe, nurturing environments in which they can thrive.
Quality Child Care:
What You Need to Know

2. SC Quality Child Care
Public Awareness Campaign
Why is it so important?
Video testimony from two Focus Group
participants: James and Tara

3. What comes to your mind?
Here are some important questions you should ask:
Think Safety
Think License
Think Supervision
Think Cleanliness

4. Overview of Child Care
Licensing

5. Purpose of Licensing
 Toensure a safe and healthy environment for
children.
 Toimprove the quality of child care through
regulations.
 To ensure licensing requirements are met.
 Toprevent the continued operation of substandard
facilities.

6. Laws and Regulations
 ChildCare Laws and Regulations are available
at http://childcare.sc.gov.
 Click on “Laws, Regulations and Policies.”

7. The Law
Child care providers must be licensed, approved
or registered if they:
 Carefor children from more than 1 unrelated
family.
 Operate more than 4 hours per day.
 Operate more than 2 days per week.

8. Types of Child Care
Providers
Child Care Centers
 13 or more children.
 Publicly funded centers have Approvals instead of Licenses. Regulations are
the same for Approvals and Licenses.
 Faith-Based centers must be Registered with an option to be Licensed.
Regulations are slightly different for Registration and License.
 License/Approval/Registration expires 2 years from issue date.

9. Types of Child Care
Providers
Group Child Care Homes
 7 to 12 children.
 When attendance reaches 9 or there are more than 3 infants, an
additional caregiver is required.
 Must be in the home of the person providing care.
 A License expires 2 years from the issue date.

10. Types of Child Care
Providers
Licensed Family Child Care Homes
 Up to 5 children at any given time within the home of the child care
provider.
 Applicants must have written approval from their local Zoning Board.
 License expires 2 years from issue date.
 Requires inspections.

11. Types of Child Care
Providers
Registered Family Child Care Homes
 Up to 6 children at any given time within the home of the child care
provider.
 Applicants must have written approval from their local Zoning Board.
 Registration expires 1 year from issue date.
 Paper registration process.

12. Types of Child Care
Providers
License Exempt Child Care Providers
 Care for children from only unrelated family.
 Operate less than 4 hours per day.
OR
 Operate less than two days per week.
 Examples: Family, Friend and Neighbor Providers, Self-Arranged Care Providers, Mothers Morning Out
Programs.

13. Inspections
 Centers, Group Homes, and Licensed Family Homes are inspected at least
twice each year. Also required to have fire and health inspections.
 Registered Family Homes are only inspected if a complaint is filed against
them.
 Exempt providers are not inspected by Child Care Licensing.

14. Some Key Regulations
 Licensed/Approved/Registered providers must meet specified adult-to-child
ratios.
 Children must be under the supervision of a qualified caregiver at all times.
 Staff must have clear SLED, FBI, and Central Registry background checks.
 Staff must meet specified education, age and experience requirements.
 Staff must meet annual training requirements.

15. How Do I Know a Provider
is Licensed?
 TheLicense, Approval, or Registration should
be displayed in the facility.
 They are listed on our website at
http://childcare.sc.gov. Click “Search Child Care
Providers.”

16. Illegally Operating
Providers
 Providers who meet the requirement to be licensed, approved or registered but are not.
 Call your Regional Licensing Office to report them:
 Region I (Greenville): (864) 250-5576 or toll-free (800) 637-8550
 Region II (Columbia): (803) 898-9001 or toll-free (888) 202-1469
 Region III (Charleston): (843) 953-9780 or toll-free (800) 260-0211
 Region IV (Florence): (843) 661-6623 or toll-free (800) 464-9138
 A complaint against a provider who is violating Child Care Laws or Regulations can also be
made by calling your Regional Office.

17. Incident Reporting
What should be reported to Child Care Licensing IMMEDIATELY?
 Child missing from the premises or left in a vehicle
 A death at the facility
 Major structural damage
 Natural or Man Made Disasters
 Charges or convictions of crimes against owner, director or any staff
 Reports of alleged child abuse involving the owner, director or any staff
 Incidents requiring fire or police services that affect the health and safety of the children.

18. Incident Reporting
What should be reported within 48 hours?
 Injuries and accidents requiring professional medical treatment.
 Communicable diseases that DHEC requires to be reported in its Exclusion
List such as measles, pinkeye, mumps, etc.
Parents should be notified immediately

19. Contact Information
Child Care Licensing
2638 Two Notch Road, Suite 217
Columbia, SC 29204
800-556-7445
803-898-9020
Website: www.scchildcare.org or http://childcare.sc.gov

20. ? Licensed / Registered ? The Building / Physical Site
? The Staff ? Supervision ? Health & Safety
? Emergency Preparation
? Meals / Snacks ? Daily Life ? Cleanliness

21. How does your work as a Home Visitor
relate to our discussions today
Provide 1 or 2 recommendations for
how this information can be used?

22. Reflections
I learned…
I re-learned…
I will apply…
Iwould like to know more
about …
I am surprised by …