The South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy (DCA) launches Monday, July 1, 2019. 

The Department of Children's Advocacy was established by Act 160 of the South Carolina General Assembly. The DCA is an independent state agency charged with ensuring that children across South Carolina receive adequate protection and care from services or programs offered by state agencies related to the welfare of children. The agency is led by Director and State Child Advocate Amanda F. Whittle, who was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster. 

Amanda F. Whittle leads the newly established Department of Children’s Advocacy (DCA) as the State Child Advocate (SCA) and agency Director. She was appointed by Governor Henry D. McMaster on June 3, 2019. As the agency launched July 1, 2019, Director Whittle's charge as the leader of the DCA to ensure that children across South Carolina receive adequate protection and care from services or programs provided by state agencies related to the welfare of children began.