LANDRUM, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Upstate childcare centers are closing classrooms and laying off staff after South Carolina’s Working Families Child Care Scholarship Program paused, leaving thousands of families without assistance.
The program stopped accepting new applications in December 2025. Families who had already been approved now have vouchers that are expiring, with no timeline given for when the pause will be lifted.
Centers running at half enrollment
At Miss Tammy’s Little Learning Center, the facility is facing around 12 layoffs and is running at half its enrollment compared to last year.
“It’s not a pause it was stopped. Seven months is a very long pause,” said Thomas Compton, regional director of Miss Tammy’s Little Learning Center.
Several other Upstate centers are reporting similar conditions. With dozens of students leaving.
“Our facility has been greatly impacted by the vouchers being paused, as they say. As the vouchers are expiring for our families, the numbers are dwindling,” said Breauna Brown, co director of Childs Play Learning Academy.
“I’m looking at having to layoff employees and cut hours,” said Joyce Stacey, director of Eagle Academy.
“It’s been heartbreaking,” said Deonna Nesbitt, infant room teacher at Childs Play Learning Academy.
While childcare centers are struggling, so are families.
Kayla Stivers, a mother who lost her voucher, said the situation has forced her to work weekends while attending school and working full time.
“I officially lost voucher months ago. I’m frustrated. I get no answers and now I’m working weekends. I go to school full time, I work full time I don’t get to see my kids,” said Stivers. “You are taking away from people that are actually working and actually breaking their back to give their children the life they deserve.”
Victoria Turner, a mother of five who will lose her voucher in August said her family is working to make ends meet with no relief in sight.
“It’s been stressful. We try to keep positive because we’re going to find a way to make it work for our kids, but it’s been hard,” said Turner.
Limited exceptions remain
Only families in protected categories can still apply for the scholarship. Those groups include families receiving TANF benefits, those experiencing homelessness, and those involved in the child welfare system.
DSS cites federal funding cliff
The South Carolina Department of Social Services said the program’s pause is the result of a federal funding shortfall tied to the end of COVID-era funding.
“DSS cannot run this program in a deficit and had to make a very tough decision as the federal funding cliff is here for programs once bolstered during COVID,” the agency said in a statement. “DSS cannot spend funds on the program that we do not have.”
DSS said it is unable to say when scholarship applications will reopen to all applicants, citing continued funding constraints and no new money from either the federal or state government. The agency said it would announce any updates if new funding were received.
“As to when the program will re-open to all applicants, DSS cannot run this program in a deficit and had to make a very tough decision as the federal funding cliff is here for programs once bolstered during COVID. DSS cannot spend funds on the program that we do not have. At this time, DSS is unable to speculate as to when we will be able to re-open the scholarship applications to all applicants due to continued funding constraints and no additional or new funds, from either the federal or state government to run the program. If there were updates on this program and new funding received, DSS would be shouting the news from the rooftops!”
Department of Social Services
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with FOX Carolina. For more free content like this, .