New SC law expands access to childcare job opportunities in face of worker shortage

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – It’s a reality causing headaches and heartburn for too many South Carolina families: Looking for childcare and calling around centers, only to find that none have room or have months-long waitlists.

A major driver of South Carolina’s shortage of childcare options — similar to what many other states face as well — is because there’s a shortage of workers.

South Carolina leaders have pledged to do more to ensure every family has access to high-quality and affordable childcare.

A new law in effect starting Thursday is designed to be part of that solution.

“South Carolina is experiencing childcare issues just like other states across the country,” Connelly-Anne Ragley with the Department of Social Services said.

That’s why the Department of Social Services advocated for the passage of the new law, filed by Sen. Katrina Shealy, R – Lexington, on behalf of childcare providers.

If a center has trouble hiring, fewer children can be enrolled there because of legally mandated staff-to-child ratios.

“One of the things we hear, as the state agency that’s responsible for the regulation and health and safety of childcare centers in South Carolina, is that these centers have issues and difficulty finding workers who are willing and able and qualified to work in childcare,” Ragley said.

This new law removes a previous requirement that for workers to be hired at childcare centers they must have six months’ experience doing that job or be directly supervised by an experienced coworker for six months.

“They said that’s a huge barrier because essentially they have to double staff or triple staff that classroom for the first six months,” Ragley said.

This change reduces that direct supervision period to 30 days.

It also expands the options for childcare providers to fill educational requirements to give more potential workers an opportunity to fill jobs.

Prior to this, childcare providers had to have a high school diploma or GED.

This law expands that to also include people with a Certificate of Completion or a South Carolina High School Employability Credential, which could help people with disabilities fill these critical and open positions.

“This will not only increase the employment rate for people with disabilities in South Carolina, but it will also fit that gap for the need for childcare workers,” said Kimberly Tissot, the president and CEO of Able South Carolina, a nonprofit that works with and advocates for South Carolinians with disabilities.

Tissot said this change in law could help an untapped workforce, people with disabilities, fill these jobs.

“When you hire somebody with a disability, there’s less turnover, and it’s really meeting what the childcare field is needing,” she said.

The Department of Social Services said this law will also strengthen training for childcare providers by requiring they complete 15 hours of health and safety training within 30 days of being employed.

This new law does not add any additional requirements for workers already employed at a childcare facility in South Carolina, only for new hires.

It also does not change any requirements concerning background checks that potential employees must undergo.

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