South Carolina has protections in place for children at Day Care Centers.  If you believe you have been the victim of Charleston day care neglect, or South Carolina day care abuse, please contact Mt. Pleasant day care abuse attorney Nathan Hughey or the day care wrongful death attorneys at Hughey Law Firm Injury Lawyers.

We have handled many day care abuse and neglect claims, including wrongful death, amputations, brain injuries, and sexual assaults.  We take our responsibility to protect children very seriously, and we will fight for our clients who are injured as a result of day care neglect.

Day cares are supposed to provide appropriately qualified, trained, and numbered staff in South Carolina.  The facilities must provide supervision, as appropriate.  Persons who are a danger or have past criminal convictions should not be employed as day care workers.

The regulations are contained within DSS’ regulatory scheme beginning with 114-500 and pursuant to SC Code 43-1-80 and 20-7-2980.

If caregivers do not meet experience requirements, they shall be directly supervised for six months by a staff person with at least one year experience as a caregiver in a licensed/approved child day care facility. Within six months, caregivers must have six clock hours of training in child growth and development/early childhood education or shall continue to be under the direct supervision of a caregiver who has at least one year of experience as a caregiver in a licensed/approved child day care facility.

No child day care center shall employ or retain an individual who has been determined to have committed an act of child abuse or neglect or other crimes, and the day care must conduct background checks.

The number of children supervised by one child day care staff member at any one time shall not exceed the following ratios: 1:6 from birth to 2 years, 1:10 from 2-3 years, 1:13 for 3-4 years, 1:18 for 4-5 years, 1:21 for 5 to 6 years, and 1:23 or 6 to 12 years.

In situations involving swimming pools or nap time, the regulations change.

Furthermore, the day care has specific facility requirements, and specific bathroom use requirements.

If you have a day care abuse or neglect question, contact us for a free consultation.