Our Legislative Agenda Priorities in South Carolina
Legislative Priorities
Our legislative agenda is essential for advancing policies that protect children, strengthen families and ensure safer communities.
By advocating for targeted policy and legislative initiatives, we urge our lawmakers to focus on these critical issues that can have a lasting impact in the fight against child abuse and neglect.
Our Policy Committee meets regularly to review data and analyze opportunities for the South Carolina General Assembly to address. Our members include state leaders and subject matter experts with extensive knowledge of child maltreatment and well-being. The priorities are approved by Children’s Trust Board of Directors.
2025 Priorities
Stop child abuse and neglect before it occurs.
Preventing child abuse reduces the long-term financial burden on taxpayers by minimizing costly interventions like foster care, medical treatments and welfare, ultimately promoting stronger, more stable families and communities.
Fact: 13,397 children were in substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in the state fiscal year 2024
Solution: Allocate funds to Children’s Trust of South Carolina to expand evidence-based prevention programs that provide family support services, parenting education and home visitation.
Provide School Meals to All Children
No child in South Carolina should go hungry, yet many still do, with almost 200,000 experiencing food insecurity. Chronically hungry children are more likely to be disruptive in class and have lasting health complications.
Fact: 28% of children in South Carolina live in households where children are not eating enough because food is unaffordable.
Solution: Pass legislation to provide healthy and nutritious breakfast and lunch free of charge to all students in South Carolina public schools, eliminating the stigma and administrative burden associated with free and reduced-price meal programs.
Address Child Care Challenges
Child care in South Carolina remains among the top 10 barriers to workforce entry. Workers without stable child care are also more likely to have unplanned absences, get to work late or leave early.
Fact: More than 15% of unemployed women can’t work because of a lack of child care.
Solution: Expand access to affordable, high-quality child care to ensure parents can fully participate in the workforce.
