South Carolina CACs See a 5% Increase in Service Numbers

In 2024, Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across South Carolina provided services to 13,788 children—a 5% increase from the number served in 2023. To put this growth into perspective, reliable statewide data has been tracked since 2009, when CACs served 6,386 children. Since then, the number of children served annually has more than doubled, reflecting a 116% increase over the past 15 years.

CACs play a vital role in South Carolina’s coordinated response to child abuse. The SCNCAC Development Plan has been instrumental in helping build a network of centers equipped to deliver trauma-informed, child-centered services across the state.

Of the children served in 2024, 71% were under the age of 13. Sexual abuse was the most common allegation, reported in 38% of cases, followed by physical abuse in 27% of cases. Data continues to show that the majority of children served are harmed by someone they know, with only 8% of the offenders being listed as unknown to the child or their family.

In addition to direct services to children, South Carolina CACs provided 50,758 case management, prevention, and support services to both children and adults throughout the year.

South Carolina is home to 17 primary CACs, many of which serve multiple counties, along with 14 satellite centers operated by regional CACs in the state. Together, these 31 centers ensure children across South Carolina have access to an array of child-focused, comprehensive services. The South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers remains committed to strengthening communities and supporting CACs in delivering a best-practice, collaborative response to child abuse.