DSS receives calls daily from people who are concerned about children across South Carolina. Often times, these concerns are not abuse or neglect, but are issues that cause instability for the child and their family. DSS can respond to these families by referring them to Family-Centered Community Support Services.

What are Family-Centered Community Support Services?

Family-Centered Community Support Services are aimed at addressing conditions affecting the stability of family life such as: poverty, young parental age, relational issues, and parental or child disabilities where child abuse and neglect are at greater risk of occurring, but are not currently present. In some instances, these conditions may affect the stability of family life and lead to child abuse and neglect if they are not addressed. Family-Centered Community Support Services will target families exhibiting these conditions and assist them in building protective capacity. Services may include assistance with concrete needs (i.e. electric bill, clothing, food, etc.) parent education and skills building, and behavioral goal setting.  It is the agency’s goal to ensure that all families and children referred receive outreach and face-to-face contact, service assessment, home-based casework services, home visitation and counseling services.

Family-Centered Community Support Services consist of a comprehensive array of concrete services. Concrete services are focused on assisting clients and their families to improve conditions in the home. Services may include:

• Homemaker Services
• Career Exploration and Assessment
• Non-Medical Transportation Services
• Tutoring Services
• Parenting Services

These services are designed to assist families in increasing their protective factors, which will enhance the protective capacity of caregivers. Services also aim to help families successfully resolve the issues with which they are confronted and to enable them to provide a safe, nurturing and suitable home for their children.