South Carolina

Staff-child ratios (centers)

Requirements

Annual training

Caregivers/teachers providing direct care must complete at least 15 clock hours of training annually, from at least three approved topic areas; CPR and first aid do not count toward the 15 hours. Directors must complete at least 20 clock hours annually (at least 5 in program administration and 5 in child growth and development/health and safety).

Lead teacher

Teachers/caregivers must be at least 18, able to read and write, and have a high school diploma or GED plus at least six months of experience in a licensed or approved child care facility (or work under direct supervision until qualified, including 6 clock hours of child development/ECE training within six months).

Director

Directors must be at least 21 and meet one of several education/experience combinations, ranging from a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field, to an associate degree or CDA with experience, to a high school diploma/GED plus ECD 101 and 3 years of experience (1 year supervising staff).

Worth knowing

SC sets staff:child ratios only; it does not set maximum group sizes for centers. Full ratio scale (114-504.B): birth–1 yr 1:5; 1–2 yrs 1:6; 2–3 yrs 1:8; 3–4 yrs 1:12; 4–5 yrs 1:17; 5–6 yrs 1:20; 6–12 yrs 1:23. Preschool value shown is for 4-year-olds; 3-year-olds are 1:12. Regulation last amended June 22, 2018.

Compliance

Background checks

Directors, staff, emergency persons, and volunteers must clear a SLED state fingerprint review before providing services, with FBI fingerprints submitted within 14 business days of the SLED results, plus a check of the SC Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect (Reg. 114-503). No one required to register as a sex offender may be on the premises during operating hours, and fingerprint reviews must be repeated after a break in service of one year or longer.

Mandated reporting

Child care workers in centers are mandated reporters under S.C. Code § 63-7-310 and report to the SC Department of Social Services, which runs a 24-hour statewide hotline. The licensing regulations separately require the center to immediately report suspected child abuse or neglect to DSS's Child Protective Services under that statute (Reg. 114-503).

First aid & CPR

At least one person certified in pediatric first aid — including rescue breathing, CPR, and management of a blocked airway — must be present in the center at all times children are in care and during group outings or field trips (Reg. 114-503(5)(h)). Training must come from a trainer certified by a recognized health care organization.

Health & safety training

Directors must provide orientation to all new staff, volunteers, and emergency persons before they start, covering job duties, the licensing regulations relevant to their role, and the center's health and safety policies (Reg. 114-503(5)). Caregivers then need at least 15 clock hours of training annually (including OSHA bloodborne-pathogens training) and directors 20 hours; CPR and first aid do not count toward these hours.

Operations

Supervision rule

Children must be directly supervised at all times: for infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds staff must be in the same room with children within sight at all times; for preschool and school-age children staff must be physically near, readily accessible, aware of the ongoing activity, and able to intervene (Reg. 114-504). Centers need a written procedure to account for each child at every transition (entry, exit, vehicles, moves), at least two staff persons in the center at all times, and constant supervision of children in feeding chairs.

Record-keeping

Each child must have a separate confidential record with identifying and enrollment information, parent/guardian and emergency contacts, verified authorized pick-up persons, accurate daily attendance, emergency medical authorization, and a current SC Certificate of Immunization (Reg. 114-503(G)). Staff files must include background check forms, training records (kept on premises with trainer, date, hours, and competency area), and health records; incidents must be reported to parents immediately and specified incidents to DSS immediately (114-503(D),(H)).

Inspections

DSS may conduct the annual inspection unannounced at any time during operating hours to verify compliance, gives at least two working days' notice for initial and renewal inspections, and must conduct an unannounced inspection upon receiving a regulatory complaint (Reg. 114-502/503(C)). Health and fire officials must also inspect the facility and document results.

Worth knowing: Center requirements are from S.C. Code Regs. 114-500 series (Regulations for Child Care Centers, 2018 edition) published on DSS's scchildcare.org; group homes and family homes have parallel regulation series with different details.

Family & home child care

S.C. Code Regs. 114-530 to 114-537 (Family Child Care Homes, eff. May 2024); S.C. Code Regs. 114-510 to 114-51x (Group Child Care Homes); S.C. Code Ann. Title 63, Ch. 13

Family Child Care Home (registered, or licensed at the operator's option)

No more than six children in the home at any given time, including children living in the home and children related to the operator who are under age 12 (Reg. 114-533.C). Registration is renewed annually; a license is valid for two years.An additional caregiver (or household member 18+, staff, emergency person, or volunteer) must be on the premises when four or more children in attendance are younger than 12 months (Reg. 114-533.C(2)).

Group Child Care Home (licensed)

A residence occupied by the operator providing care for at least 7 but not more than 12 children, including children living in the home and children related to the resident caregiver (Reg. 114-511A(9)). An additional teacher/caregiver is required when attendance reaches nine children (Reg. 114-514.A(2)).An additional teacher/caregiver is required when four or more of the children present are younger than two years (Reg. 114-514.A(2)).

Provider training

Family child care home: all caregivers must complete at least 10 clock hours of training annually, at least 4 in child growth and development, plus 1 hour of safe sleep if serving infants 12 months and under (Reg. 114-532.H). Group child care home: the operator must complete at least 15 clock hours annually and direct-care staff at least 10 (Reg. 114-513K(5)).

Worth knowing

Family child care homes must at minimum register with SCDSS but may elect licensure instead (both paths are set out in Reg. 114-531). A home serving only relatives or the children of one unrelated family is not regulated. Group child care home regulations were last substantively amended effective 2005.