Department of Social Services

114-516. Program. A. Program of activities (1) There shall be planned, daily program of activities for all children. (2) Activities shall be developmentally appropriate. (3) Staff shall plan and provide daily age-appropriate activities such as stories, music, art, cooking, living…

114-517. Physical Site. A. Indoor space and conditions (1) The operator shall provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet of indoor play space per child, measured by Department staff from wall to wall. Bathrooms, reception areas, isolation rooms, halls and space occupied by cup…

114-518. Meal Requirements and Preparation, Serving, Storage and Protection of Food Supplies. A. Meal requirements (1) If food is provided by the group child care home, the following requirements shall be met: (a) Daily menus shall be dated and posted in a conspicuous location in…

114-519. Infant and Toddler Care, Care for Mildly Ill Children, and Night Care. A. Infant and toddler care (1) Stimulation and nurturing. (a) Children shall not remain in their cribs or play equipment for other than sleeping and specific, short time-limited quiet play. (b) Infant…

114-520. General Provisions. A. Purpose (1) The purpose of these regulations is to establish standards that protect the health, safety and well being of children receiving care in child care facilities, through the formulation, application and enforcement of these regulations. B.…

114-521. Definitions. A. Terms used in South Carolina Regulations, Chapter 114, Article 5, Part A, shall be all definitions cited in Section 20-7-2700 et seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina in addition to the definitions that follow: (1) Applicant: A person 21 years of age or ol…

114-522. Procedures. A. Pre-application consultation (1) A potential operator may secure information about important items to consider before starting a child care facility by contacting staff of the State or Regional Child Care Licensing Office. (2) Facilities owned and operated…

114-523. Management. A. Display of registration (1) The center shall display the current registration, as well as any violations in a prominent public place in the center. The back of the registration shall be displayed if deficiencies are listed. (2) When advertising or issuing …

114-524. Application of Staff:Child Ratios. A. Children shall be directly supervised at all times by qualified staff persons. (1) Directly supervised shall be defined as: (a) For infants and toddlers: staff persons shall be in the same room or area as the children and the childre…

114-525. Health, Sanitation and Safety. A. Child health (1) There shall be a statement from a parent/guardian attesting to the health status of the child within 30 days prior to admission and utilizing the appropriate DSS Form. (2) Children shall be excluded from child care when …

114-526. Physical Site. A. Indoor space and conditions (1) The director shall provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet of indoor play space per child, measured by Department staff from wall to wall. Department staff shall determine the total number of children to be cared fo…

114-527. Meal Requirements and Preparation, Serving, Storage and Protection of Food Supplies, Utensils and Equipment. A. Meal requirements (1) If food is provided by the facility, the following requirements shall be met: (a) Daily menus shall be dated and posted in a conspicuous …

114-528. Repealed. HISTORY: Former Regulation, titled Definitions and Procedures, had the following history: Amended by State Register Volume 17, Issue No. 4, eff April 23, 1993. Repealed by SCSR 48-5 Doc. No. 5229, eff May 24, 2024.

114-529. Infant and Toddler Care, Care for Mildly Ill Children, and Night Care. A. Infant and toddler care (1) Feeding, eating and drinking. (a) Cups and bottles shall be labeled with the child’s name and used only by that child. (b) Infants shall be fed in accordance with the ti…

114-530. Family Child Care Homes. A. Definitions. Terms used in South Carolina Regulations, Chapter 114, Article 5, Part A, shall be all definitions cited in Section 63-13-20 et seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina in addition to the definitions which follow: (1) Application: An …

114-531. Procedures. A. Application for a Registration (1) A potential operator of a family child care home may obtain information about the registration or licensure process by contacting the Department’s regional child care licensing office. (2) A potential operator of a family…

114-532. Management, Administration, and Staffing. A. Staff Qualifications (1) The operator of a family child care home shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age and shall reside in the home. (2) An operator shall have the following qualifications: (a) Be at least eighteen (18…

114-533. Program. A. Supervision Supervision of children shall be adequate at all times and requires: (1) Awareness and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child, knowledge of activity requirements and children’s needs and accountability of care. (2) The operator and/…

114-534. Health, Sanitation, and Safety. A. Child Health and Safety (1) Children shall be excluded from care when they exhibit conditions listed in the DHEC Exclusion Policy. (2) During the hours of operation: (a) There shall be no use of non-prescription narcotic or illegal subs…

114-535. Physical Site. A. Indoor Space (1) Home structure (a) Floors, walls and ceilings shall be kept clean, in good repair and free from hazards. (b) All rooms shall be adequately lighted and ventilated. Lights and ventilation systems shall comply with the local and/or state b…

114-536. Food. A. Meal Requirements (1) Nutritious meals and/or snacks shall be provided every four (4) hours. (2) A full serving of milk, or a nutritionally equivalent substitution, shall be offered a minimum of one time per day. (3) If the family child care home provides overni…

114-537. Infant Care. A. Safe Sleep (1) Infants shall be placed on their backs to sleep in a crib on a flat non-inclined surface. (2) Infants shall sleep in a crib that meets the requirements of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Operator shall obtain and keep on…

114-550. Licensure of Family Foster Homes and Approval of Adoptive Homes for Children in Foster Care. A. Applicability: The department will apply these regulations to decisions related to licensing family foster homes and approval of adoptive homes for children who are in foster …

114-551. Kinship Foster Family Home and Kinship Adoptive Home Standards. A. Policy and Application. (1) When applying the standards outlined in these regulations, the department prioritizes assess- ment of child and family strengths and needs, and aids in meeting identified needs…

114-590. Licensing of Residential Group Care Organizations for Children. A. General Purpose and Compliance with Other Laws. The South Carolina Department of Social Services is authorized to license residential group care organizations for children. In carrying out this authority,…

114-591. Organization and Administration. A. Purpose and Need. (1) At the time of application for licensing of a new facility, a facility shall submit: (a) A detailed description of the why there is a need for this particular facility and any facts that support the applicant’s as…

114-592. Physical Environment and Safety. A. Physical Plant and Environment. (1) Zoning Compliance and Building Codes. (a) The construction of a new facility, the conversion of an existing building for residential child care purposes, or the remodeling of a facility shall comply …

114-593. Services to Children. A. Principles for Nurturing Care. (1) The facility shall do all of the following: (a) Provide a safe, stable, and humane environment. (b) Encourage a child’s autonomy, respect a child’s need for privacy, and consider a child’s preferences and choice…

114-594. Additional Requirements for Specified Group Home Populations. A. Care for LGBTQ v Youth. APPLICABILITY. If a facility admits LGBTQ v children, the additional requirements outlined in this section must be met. (1) The facility shall not automatically isolate or segregate …

114-595. Licensing and Enforcement. A. License. (1) The terms of the license and the number, age and gender of children to be served will be stated on the license issued. (2) The license shall be displayed at the facility at all times. (3) The facility shall not deviate from the …

114-600. Wilderness Therapeutic Camps for Children. (Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Sections 43-1-80 and 63-11-30) A. Definitions. (1) Administrative Office - The office where business operations, public relations, and the management procedures take place. (2) Agency - Refers to …

114-710. Training Grants and Contracts. A. Definitions (1) Grant—the term used to describe the method of funding an educational or training program to be carried out by an educational institution on behalf of the agency. Such grants are actually formula grants; that is, they cons…

114-910. Interagency Merit System. The Department of Social Services adopts the rule of the South Carolina Interagency Merit System. ARTICLE 10 GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR ARTICLES 15 AND 19 (Statutory Authority: 1976 Code § 43-1-80)