Visitation And Child Custody In South Carolina

The Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) does not have the authority to address custody and visitition issues on behalf of either parent. The CSED can only assist in the establishment of paternity and the establishment and enforcement of a child support order. The CSED is focused on making sure the non-custodial parent lives up to his/her financial responsibility in raising the child.

The CSED, however, realizes that a parent's responsibilities do not begin or end with financial support. In order for a child to receive the fullest upbringing possible, the child must have the financial and emotional support of both parents. The more involved both parents are in the raising of the child, the better off the child will be.

Realizing the importance of both parents being involved with the child, the CSED has initiated a pilot project called Visitation Involvement Parenting (VIP), in which the CSED provides mediation services for the parents to establish a plan for access and visitation so that the child will have the benefit of both parents taking an active role in their life. The VIP Program also provides employment and training services for the non-custodial parent so that he/she can adequately provide financial support for the child and the VIP Program will provide instruction to both parents on how to request help from the Family Court to enforce the visitation order.

As a pilot program, the CSED can only provide the VIP Program in Colleton, Fairfield, Kershaw and Richland Counties. In order for the VIP Program to be available to you, both parents must live in one of these counties or the non-custodial parent must live in one of these counties and the custodial parent must agree to travel to the county where the non-custodial parent lives for any classes or mediation sessions.