Over three million U.S. undergraduates are student-parents, juggling parenting and higher education to build the future they envision for their families. Many of these students also work, whether part-time or full-time.

These student-parents face a unique set of challenges to completing their education, including access to affordable, quality child care. At the same time, they must navigate a higher education system often designed for full-time “traditional” students. This includes schedules that shift each semester, programs not designed with flexibility, and a lack of child care support. Improved resources for student-parents, particularly child care, can be transformative. Research finds that student-parents who complete their degrees improve their long-term economic status; this is particularly important considering many of these students come from low-income backgrounds and are often first-generation college students.

In this paper, we explore the background and demographics of student-parents in South Carolina, including the challenges they face; identify novel solutions for child care at the government, institution, and community levels; and provide recommendations to invest in student-parents for intergenerational benefits.