All posts in Early Learning

Jul 23, 2019

What are the characteristics of a high quality child care provider?

Whether searching for a large child care provider, a faith-based center, or a smaller in-home program, the one common trait you should always seek in all options is the center's quality. Unfortunately, it can be hard to recognize quality — especially if you're searching for child care for the first time. To help families with this sometimes-difficult search, ABC Quality provides a quality checklist of what to look for in a child care program to make sure a potential option offers a safe, stimulating environment and one that will allow your child to thrive.

Apr 2, 2019

Are these food items healthy for my child?

From fruit juices to so-called nutritious snacks, many food products that proclaim to be healthy are anything but nutritious. Even food products that promise to be fat free or gluten free may contain ingredients that are anything but good for us. To help families know what foods are good for their kids, check out this list of nine food items to avoid on your next trip to the grocery store.

Mar 19, 2019

What's the importance of having a low child-staff ratio in your child's care?

As parents and caregivers, we all know the importance of spending quality time with our children. When a child receives direct attention, they have a better chance of gaining enhanced listening, learning skills and feeling appreciated and loved. When it comes to a child care setting, children also benefit from having direct interaction with a teacher or a staff member. Although it's impossible to provide one-on-one attention to every child, the ratio of teacher-to-student must remain low.

Mar 5, 2019

What should you do if placed on a child care waitlist?

If you’re searching for quality child care in South Carolina, look no further than the ABC Quality program. If a provider is in ABC Quality, the state’s voluntary quality rating and improvement system, you can expect the highest quality services. Every program that has earned a rating does more than provide the basics of child care. A letter rating (of any level) proves a program goes above and beyond to provide the kind of child care children need to thrive.

Feb 5, 2019

How can parents model good food behavior for children?

As parents and caregivers, we do everything possible to be positive role models for our children. From teaching our kids how to treat one another concerning taking responsibility for our everyday actions, our children learn by watching what we do. As our children model their behavior based on the adults in their life, one of the easiest and most important behaviors we can pass on starts at the dinner table.