Publications
Annual Reports
The 2024 Annual Report addresses several issues facing children, but much of the report is dedicated to threats to children’s safety and wellbeing. The Committee learned about predators morphing images of identifiable children onto images of child sexual abuse material or using AI to generate child sexual abuse material, neither of which is currently addressed under state law. Child sex trafficking victims can still be adjudicated delinquent under state law for status offenses and non-violent criminal offenses related to being trafficked. Additionally, guardians ad litem in private cases, who interview and meet with children, operate without oversight by any entity, meaning someone with nefarious intentions could take advantage of this regulatory loophole to gain access to children. South Carolina’s laws must be updated and enhanced to remain effective in prosecuting those who place children in jeopardy and protecting child victims.
TOPICS: Morphed Pornography of Identifiable Children & Obscene Visual Representations of Child Sexual Abuse; Child Victims of Sex Trafficking; Home Visiting Programs; Maternal Mortality; Water Bottles in Schools; Eviction and Housing Insecurity; Regulation of Guardians ad Litem in Private Cases; Indigent Parties & Private Guardian ad Litem Fees; DMV Placard Process; Safe Sleep, Pediatric CPR & First Aid Training; Child Care Challenges; Kinship Caregiver Licensing Standards
The 2023 Annual Report analyzed several prevalent issues, ranging from expanding access to crisis mental health supports for youth and children to eliminating the sales tax on feminine and diaper products, formula, and baby food - items whose expense burdens families. The report highlights South Carolina's current number one ranking in the country for rates of preschool suspension and expulsion and offers potential solutions involving increased participation and investment in early childhood mental and behavioral health services.
TOPICS: youth access to Crisis Stabilization Units, infant and early childhood mental health, preschool suspension and expulsion, child find and the IDEA, homeless youth and children definitions, minors and guardianship, expansion of paid parental leave, free school meals, private behavioral health providers in schools, tax free feminine hygiene and baby products, children and youth access to firearms
The 2022 Annual Report is organized under three overarching themes: youth mental health, child well-being, and juvenile justice reform and includes discussion of coordinating and expanding access to children’s mental health services, providing youth and caregivers better access to birth certificates, providing counsel for children in child welfare proceedings, and adopting the Juvenile Justice Reform Act, among other topics.
TOPICS: school-based mental health, coordination of mental health services, lack of youth in-patient treatment programs, juvenile justice reform, waiver for youth, counsel for children, birth certificate access, reinstatement of parental rights, guardianship assistance program
2021 Annual Report
The 2021 Annual Report analyzed and presented issues facing the children in South Carolina including the COVID-19 pandemic, teen dating violence, and harsh odds facing those who age out of foster care. Through this research, the Committee filed 24 pieces of legislation. The Committee has committed to further study of issues such as child hunger, youth homelessness, and supported decision-making for youth with disabilities.
TOPICS: kinship care and fictive kin, statewide child abuse protocol, extension of foster care, trafficking and exploitation of minors, intimate partner violence, status offenders, juvenile sex offender registry, prohibiting juvenile life without parole, child hunger, tobacco access, youth homelessness, childcare, supported decision making, COVID-19, Family First Prevention Services Act
2020 Annual Report
The 2020 Annual Report gave attention to children with special needs and ways the South Carolina State Legislature can improve those children's overall well-being. Additionally, for the second regular session of the 123rd South Carolina General Assembly, the Committee on Children introduced three additional pieces of legislation: Tobacco Retail Licensing, Child Abuse Response Protocol, and Reauthorization of the JCLCC.
TOPICS: children with special needs, disabilities, service eligibility, programs and services for children with special needs, education coordination, trauma informed practices, children with special needs in the juvenile justice system, supportive housing programs
2019 Annual Report
The 2019 Annual Report built upon previous Committee work focused on protecting youth and supporting responsible decision-making, improving child well-being, protecting physical and mental well-being, and promoting high quality education. This report also advocated for adding fathers’ names to birth certificates and banning child marriage.
TOPICS: juvenile life without parole, quality childcare, child hunger, teacher salaries, First Steps, disturbing schools reform, newborn safe sleep practices, local child fatality review teams
2018 Annual Report
The 2018 Annual Report paid close attention to protecting children from abuse and neglect and promoting physical and mental well-being. The Report suggested several pieces of legislation to support including topics on marketing tobacco products to children, driver's insurance for children in foster care, and implementation of local child fatality review teams.
TOPICS: human trafficking, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), childhood trauma, resilience, child passenger restraint, driver's licenses for minors, child hunger
2017 Annual Report
The 2017 Annual Report focused on several areas of children's lives including mental health needs of children, child suicide, disturbing school laws, teen dating violence, and children's right to counsel. This report also highlighted the three bills from the 2016 Annual Report that ultimately passed.
TOPICS: child food insecurity and hunger, child homelessness, kinship care, youth in transition, child passenger safety, tobacco marketing to youth, child suicide and mental health services, disturbing schools, juvenile sex offenders, detention of status offenders
2016 Annual Report
The 2016 Annual Report highlighted six key areas of concern including safety in all childcare settings, child passenger safety, support for children who have been abused or neglected, and protection of children's well-being. Additionally, the Report highlighted issues for continued consideration from the 2015 Annual Report.
TOPICS: childcare facility safety, after-school and summer camp safety, child passenger safety, recreational off-road vehicle safety, obesity, kinship care, safety of children in family childcare homes, status offenders, sex offender registry, John de la Howe School
2015 Annual Report
The 2015 Annual Report gave special attention to children who are incarcerated for committing a status offense, child safety and the regulation of family childcare homes, and the juvenile sex offender registry. This Report furthered the Committee's study on many pressing issues including school readiness and early childhood education (which were also addressed in the Committee’s 2013 and 2014 Annual Reports).
TOPICS: status offenders, family childcare homes, juvenile sex offender registry, childhood trauma, child fatalities, immunizations, safe sleeping practices for infants, school readiness, early childhood education
2014 Annual Report
The 2014 Annual Report gave primary focus to two issues: early childhood language and literacy, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the effects of toxic stress. This Report also provided updates on previous initiatives and related topics.
TOPICS: early childhood language and literacy, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, immunizations, safe sleep, obesity, trauma-informed practice, Silent Tears, school readiness, early childhood education
2013 Annual Report
The 2013 Annual Report addressed five issues that the Committee believed to constitute priorities that were immediately actionable and had the potential to reduce long term costs to the State: school readiness, preventable childhood obesity, child fatalities and injuries, childhood trauma, and immunizations.
TOPICS: school readiness, early childhood education, childhood obesity, child fatalities and injuries, childhood trauma, immunizations
2012 Annual Report
The 2012 Annual Report offered a logic model to promote healthy child development. The Committee focused on four key areas to further this model: safe sleeping practices for infants to prevent infant fatalities, immunizations to prevent illness and avoid long term health care costs, implementing “trauma-informed practices” within state child-serving agencies to mitigate trauma that will adversely affect healthy child development, and reduction of obesity to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent chronic illness.
TOPICS: logic model for child development, safe sleeping practices for infants, immunizations, trauma-informed practices, child obesity
2011 Annual Report
The 2011 Annual Report was the first report from the Committee on Children. It presented a comprehensive overview of the myriad of issues facing the children of South Carolina. This Report focused on services for child protection and welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health.
TOPICS: Children's Policy of South Carolina, Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children, children in state custody, child welfare and protection, juvenile justice, children's mental health, health childhood, family life, socioeconomic state, health, education
Data Reference Books
The data collected to support the Annual Reports and legislative work of the Committee on Children are reported in these supplemental Data Reference Books. Forty-nine indicators are used to report the status of children in the following categories: safety, health, education, responsibility, and support. These indicators were selected to address all priority areas and measure across childhood lifespan. The data is updated each year to supplement the Annual Report (above).
Public Hearings Testimony Reports
2021 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2021 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from over 90 members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered child safety (7%), child welfare (26%), child health (17%), education (27%), youth development and juvenile justice (9%), and community programs and resources (13%).
2020 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2020 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from over 50 members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered child safety (12%), child welfare (6%), child health (29%), education (31%), youth development and juvenile justice (7%), and community programs and resources (15%).
2019 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2019 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from over 70 members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered child safety (9%), child welfare (26%), child health (35%), education (23%), and juvenile justice (7%).
2018 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2018 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from over 80 members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered child safety (20%), child welfare (25%), child health (18%), education (26%), and youth development and juvenile justice (11%).
2017 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2017 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from over 90 members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered child safety (10%), child welfare (14%), child health (27%), education (38%), youth development and juvenile justice (8%), and parental rights and responsibilities (3%).
2016 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2016 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from 45 members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered child safety (7%), child welfare (29%), child health (22%), education (11%), youth development and juvenile justice (7%), poverty (11%), and community resources (13%).
2014 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2014 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. The areas of testimony topics covered juvenile justice (25%), childcare (6%), children's services (6%), child protection (13%), early childhood education (19%), health (19%), and poverty (12%).
2012 Public Hearings Testimony Report
During the 2012 Public Hearings, the Committee on Children heard from members of the public and advocates for children in a variety of topics. Approximately 98% of all comments received related to school readiness; the remaining 2% were comprised of special mental health, educational, or health care needs of children and of points for inter- agency collaboration to reduce gaps in systems, poverty, well-being and supporting parents and family units.
Educational Services for Children with Disabilities Report
The Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children has developed two reports concerning school districts’ performance on service delivery to students with disabilities pursuant to Proviso 1.89 (2021) and 1.110 (2022), utilizing data provided by the Office of Special Education Services at the South Carolina Department of Education.