SC Child Welfare Information

  • SC ranks 46th in the overall well-being of children in the 2007 Kids Count State Profiles of Child Well-Being.1
  • A SC child is born into poverty every 50 minutes.2

  • There were 16,898 reports of child abuse and neglect (this number is estimated to be 3 times higher) 3

  • There are 4,894 SC children in foster care and nearly 54,000 being raised by grandparents2

  • A child or teen in SC is killed by gunfire every week2

  • 45% of SC children live in low in-come households1

  • 1.    Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2007 KIDS Count Data Book. (1st represents the best & 50th represents the worst.)
  • 2.    The Children’s Defense Fund, South Carolina State Report, May 2006
  • 3.    South Carolina Department of Social Services, 2005-2006

SC Child Welfare Statistics

High School dropout rates in South Carolina remain concerning, at around 2.5% of the student population.  Of those who do graduate, only 83.3% graduate on-time (in four years). We recognize that these statistics are disproportionately skewed toward at-risk children who are in family crisis from a variety of challenging situations, primarily surrounding a lack of sufficient support, structure, and stability.  


Statistics reveal that children who are in the foster care system, experience homelessness, or are considered low-income or low socioeconomic status have on-time graduation rates of only 41%, 45% and 66% respectively.  Many children who come to Boys Farm are behind in their academics, and it is a top priority to provide the support necessary to bring students to grade level.