Initiatives

Child care matters to every South Carolinian. When people who want to work can’t, the state’s economy suffers.

During their most profound time of development and school readiness preparation, over half of SC children aged 5 and under are in non-parental care for at least 10 hours per week.* That’s why ABC Quality is working to improve the quality, cost and accessibility of child care in South Carolina. From connecting families to high quality programs and assisting providers seeking to enhance their services, we’re making child care work for more South Carolinians than ever.

* Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board, Child Care in State Economies: 2019 Update

Enhancing Quality

When children have a high-quality early education, they’re healthier, more likely to graduate from high school and retain employment. The positive experiences support them during a time of rapid development. Ways we’re helping:

Professional development for educators related to child care environments and teaching practices
Grants and awards to child care programs for facility and service improvements
Customized coaching, support and assistance to elevate program quality

Increasing Accessibility

Child care is a must for families so we work to improve access for South Carolina communities with limited options. We help new programs launch and expand existing programs to serve more children. Helpful resources for providers:

Stabilization grants to support program and facility operations
Financial assistance for personnel, equipment, supplies and more
One-time technology grants to fund equipment or services
Start-up, retention or expansion funds for child care programs

Improving Affordability

The cost of child care can be a huge hurdle. We help South Carolina families with low or middle incomes to access child care scholarships that make high quality care more affordable. Child care scholarship opportunities for:

Low and middle income, TANF or homeless families
Children with disabilities, developmental delays or in foster care
Dual language learners