We're in this Together.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) has created this page to help Child Care Providers and Parents stay up-to-date on the latest recommendations regarding the Coronavirus. Please review the information below and take steps to help yourselves, your staff, and the children in your care stay healthy.

General questions about COVID-19 can be directed to the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For the most up to date information about the Coronavirus, visit DHEC’s website at scdhec.gov/COVID19.

Best Practices for Staying Healthy

We understand that you may have concerns about how the virus may impact our schools and childcare centers. Here are some additional suggestions/recommendations to consider:

  • Make sure children, staff, and visitors are washing hands as directed by SC DHEC.
  • Clean and disinfect all surfaces within the facility regularly.
  • Practice social distancing when possible.
  • Consider changing your sign-in procedures for parents and other visitors (e.g., move handoffs closer to the front door to minimize parents coming into the classroom space and avoid possible exposure to children and caregivers).
  • Limit visitors to the facility.
  • The careful handling of your food service to children is important. Please limit communal sharing of food, and donations where possible.
  • As with other emergency situations, DSS staff will be contacting all child care facilities to determine plans for closure and/or relocation.

Information for Parents

During this uncertain time, the Early Care and Education staff is working at hard to track the facility closures as they are reported.  To see the most up-to-date list click here. 

Resources for Parents

Open Child Care Facilities

COVID Child Care Assistance

Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children 

Information for Child Care Providers

Caring for Children During COVID-19

Watch the following Caring for Children During COVID-19 videos which present critical guidance related to keeping children and staff safe in early childhood settings from the National Office of Child Care.

If you have questions about Caring for Children During COVID-19 please contact us at safechildcare@dss.sc.gov

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides additional Guidance Related to Child Care during COVID-19  https://aap.org

CDC Guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted a Supplemental Guide for Child Care. Written in collaboration with the Offices of Child Care and Head Start for a variety of child care settings, this resource provides guidance specific to child care on issues such as:

  • Social distancing
  • Child pick up and drop off procedures
  • Cleaning and disinfecting of toys and bedding
  • Safely caring for infants and toddlers

In addition, the Guidance document provides numerous links to resources that provide even greater detail, including information regarding children’s risks concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Supplemental Guide for Child Care can be found here.

Resources

Resources for Parents
Child Care Closures
Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children

Resources for Child Care Providers
CACFP COVID-19 Updates
CDC Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19
CDC Guidance for Open Child Care Programs
COVID-19 Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children
Facility Poster: Stop the Spread of Germs
Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and You (pdf)