SC First Steps

Getting children ready for school

All In for South Carolina’s Young Children

South Carolina First Steps works collaboratively to ensure that all children start school ready to reach their highest potential, with engaged support from parents, caregivers, and communities. All In for South Carolina’s Young Children, our 2025–30 strategic plan, is a five-year roadmap for strengthening the system of individuals and organizations supporting children from birth through age five.

See the Plan

The Latest with First Steps

Disciplining with understanding, respect, and connection

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When her 5-year-old son refused to eat his pudding cup, Alazaey Washington’s first instinct was to insist: “If I put this on the table, you’re going to eat it.” While that approach worked when he was very little, as he got older, Alazaey’s son started pushing boundaries, getting in trouble at school, and talking back at home. That's why she reached out to Triple P through Newberry County First Steps.

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C.A.R.E. Academy creates lifelong readers

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C.A.R.E. Academy, in Charleston County, was born from one mother’s dream to create a safe, nurturing environment where all children can thrive. As a single parent, Cushan Brown remembers the fear and uncertainty she felt when enrolling her one-year-old daughter in preschool for the first time. Those early emotions, along with her daughter’s positive experience in an in-home preschool from ages 1 to 5, ultimately shaped Cushan’s vision for the kind of environment she wanted for all children.

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Helping little kids manage big emotions with Triple P

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For many first-time parents, a flailing, crying, full-blown toddler tantrum can feel unpredictable, explosive, and impossible to manage, especially when a child is also navigating a developmental delay.  That was the case for Davianna Hicks and Joshua Stewart, whose three-year-old son, Dallas, was having frequent outbursts. Unsure how to help him, they reached out to Newberry County First Steps, where they were connected to Triple P.

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“A broken crayon still colors”: Deon Cooper’s journey from janitor to educator

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Since he was a boy, Deon Cooper knew something was missing. Adopted at birth and raised without any knowledge of his biological parents, he struggled with questions about his identity and where he truly belonged. That all began to change when he took a job as a janitor at his family’s childcare center. He saw the impact his family’s work had on young lives and knew he was meant to do more.

Blog Post

19 March

SC First Steps Board of Trustees and SC Early Childhood Advisory Council Meeting - March 2026

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The South Carolina First Steps Board of Trustees meetings are held quarterly and are followed immediately by the South Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council convenings.

18 June

SC First Steps Board of Trustees and SC Early Childhood Advisory Council Meeting - June 2026

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The South Carolina First Steps Board of Trustees meetings are every other month followed immediately by the South Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council convenings.

Find the SC First Steps Local Partnership Near You

Wherever you are in South Carolina, there's a local partnership nearby. Contact your local partnership to find out how we can help you and your family get connected to the resources you need.