What is an Early Childhood Integrated Data System?

South Carolina’s Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) is a collaborative effort among state agencies, providers, organizations, and communities to collect, integrate, and report information about the early childhood population and programs across the state. Data systems, such as an ECIDS, provide users with comprehensive, accurate information that promotes good decision-making.

What is the purpose of ECIDS?

The broad purpose of an ECIDS is to provide integrated, cross-program data that inform decisions about early childhood policies, services, and education. Information such as demographics, family dynamics, program eligibility and participation, and school readiness indicators are gathered from early childhood programs. Integrating data across providers and programs makes it is easier to identify and understand existing gaps or overlaps. ECIDS can provide a clearer picture of the safety, health, and education of children in a particular area of the state.

Who will use ECIDS?

Participating partners, directors, and educators engaged in early childhood programs can access aggregate child and family information to learn how the services they provide help the families they serve. The information advises those on the impact of the services, or a combination of those services, have on children in the state. This information can identify gaps or overlaps in services in which policymakers, agency executives, early childhood program administrators, and approved researchers can use to make decisions about the early childhood systems functioning within our state.

How did this ECIDS come about?

The South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) has served as a neutral setting for the South Carolina Health and Human Services Integrated Data System for over twenty-five years. In collaboration with other state agencies and through data collection authorized by General Proviso, the RFA can integrate client information with the goal of improving client outcome measures and enabling state agencies and other authorized users to analyze coordination and continuity of care issues. Using a sophisticated algorithm and assigning a Unique ID to individuals, RFA can provide an unduplicated count of individuals across agencies and programs. RFA is nationally known for its long-established working relationships, extensive data integration experience, and a core concern for data security and privacy.

When South Carolina was awarded a $3.5 million dollar grant to assess all services available to children from birth through age 5 statewide, RFA was able to assist in the assessment as most of the program data needed to complete the assessment is collected under General Proviso. Further funding through the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Birth Through 5 Renewal Grant allowed RFA to continue the assessment and data analysis activities.

Programs participating in the ECIDS: