Make a Difference with SCYAP in 2025

There is still a need for thousands of foster homes across South Carolina.
What We Do
SCYAP is South Carolina’s premier provider of foster care and community-based services. We have been serving children and families in South Carolina since 1990. SCYAP offers a comprehensive array of programs and services to youth and families dealing with difficult issues and crises.
Creativity and flexibility in our programming and service delivery are the mainstays of our approach to working with youth and families, placing their needs at the forefront of everything we do.
While our largest program continues to be foster care services, a significant part of our array of services now includes non-residential, community-based services.
Who We Serve
SCYAP serves both males and females and does not discriminate by race, color, religious creed, ancestry, gender, gender expression, national origin, sexual orientation, or the seriousness or complexity of disability or need.
The primary target population served by SCYAP is considered to be at-risk or special needs children. We serve children with a broad spectrum of emotional, behavioral, mental, and medical needs and their families.
Typically these children are in need of out-of-home therapeutic care, community-based programming, and/or in-home intervention services. Depending on the service(s) provided, SCYAP is able to serve children ages birth to twenty-one and their families.
How You Can Help:
Attend a Monthly Foster Parent Information Session:
Sadly, there is a shortage of people expressing interest in becoming foster parents. We need more loving people like you to help children to have a safe and loving home where they can heal and thrive.
Latest From Our Blog
The Reality of Foster Care: A Child’s Perspective
Imagine your childhood memories. What were you doing and who were you with? Now, imagine that in one day, all the things familiar to you changed. Imagine that even your best memories were not often happy ones and that your days were filled with uncertainty. Some days, there was not enough to eat, and sometimes the house was cold. You did not have anyone to help you with homework or have clean clothes for school. Sometimes the police even came to your house because the neighbors heard the fighting between your parents. But this was your home, your world, and you knew what to expect.
The Foster Care Crisis: Stadium-Sized Perspective
Imagine a packed Super Bowl stadium, full of cheering fans. Now, picture that same stadium filled with children instead—children in need of safe, loving homes. In the United States, the number of children currently in foster care could fill every seat in a Super Bowl stadium more than five times. That’s more than 390,000 children who don’t have a stable home to call their own.
This staggering number highlights the urgent need for more foster families. Each of these children has a unique story—some have experienced neglect, others have been removed from their homes due to unsafe conditions, and many simply need a temporary home while their families work toward reunification. But no matter their background, they all need the same thing: a caring adult to support them.
Teens in Foster Care: Making a Difference for Their Futures
Foster care is a critical resource for children who cannot live with their biological families due to various circumstances. In South Carolina, more than 3,000 children are in foster care, and a significant number of them are teenagers. Sadly, teens in foster care often face additional challenges in finding a stable, loving home compared to younger children.
Why is this the case? Misconceptions about fostering teens can discourage families from stepping forward. Some people worry that teens in foster care may come with more behavioral challenges or emotional needs. Others may feel unprepared to navigate the unique dynamics of fostering an adolescent. However, fostering teens is not only possible but also incredibly rewarding.
SCYAP is on YouTube
Learn more about SCYAP programs, services, and hear some words of encouragement from sensational staff and foster families.