Vision: A Focus on Prevention

The South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) is charged with protecting the state’s most vulnerable populations; its mission, to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth while strengthening families. We envision a system of well-being that is trauma-informed, family-centered, strengths-based, and culturally responsive. Our goal is to ensure that children, youth, and families thrive in their communities and that we have equitable outcomes for all.

We believe that being in a safe and supportive family positively impacts a child’s development. While most families can care for their children with the support of their family, friends, and community, some need the additional support of our child welfare system and network of community partners. Providing supportive and preventive services to our most vulnerable children and families is necessary and urgent.  Our success is dependent on our ability to engage, assess, team, and plan with families, and communities, so that families are not navigating this unfamiliar and often difficult path alone. 

Our vision and system transformation are designed to provide the support necessary so that children and families get what they need, when and where they need it.  We believe that through prevention strategies and elevating family voice and choice, fully understanding individual strengths and needs, honoring culture and beliefs, being sensitive to the trauma experienced, providing responsive services that are aligned with needs, and collaborating as partners with families, we can achieve this goal.