ABC Quality

Parents: Are you expecting a new baby or raising a young child? Check out First Five SC! The easy and free online application checks your eligibility for public programs for young children ages 0-5.

Visit first5sc.org to learn more.

Parents and Providers: August 2-4​ is South Carolina’s Tax Free Weekend! For three days, your purchases of school-year essentials are TAX FREE!

Ready to prepare your Weekend shopping list? Check out a full list of tax-free items at dor.sc.g​ov/taxfreeweekend.

From learning how to make new friends to learning how to manage new technology, Parents magazine's back-to-school guide will help prepare your family for the ever-changing face of education.

Back-to-School: The New Class From learning how to make new friends to learning how to manage new technology, our back-to-school guide will help prepare you for the ever-changing face of education.

Parents and Providers: According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a car can heat up to 19 degrees in 10 minutes, even if a window is open! Summer temperatures increase the risk of children developing heatstroke in a vehicle.

Keep kids safe by remembering to A-C-T:

A - Avoid heatstroke-related injury by never leaving a child in a car alone.
C - Create reminders that a child is in the backseat.
T - Take action! Call 911 if you see a child alone in a car.

Read more at bit.ly/3qbysO0.

Last month, 11 new family child care homes and 10 new child care centers became licensed through Child Care Licensing! Make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families in your community by opening a child care program. Visit SCChildCare.org to get started.

Parents: Reading, especially over the summer, is a great way to stop the summer slide! While it can be tough to get your child excited to read, there are a few ways parents can encourage the joy of reading:

🛋️ Create a designated (and comfy!) reading space
📚 Keep a selection of books accessible
✅ Determine reading goals together and pick fun and affordable rewards to motivate them!

Learn more at bit.ly/3KPd0p2.

On June 27th, Morgan Massenburg, DSS Division of Early Care and Education Outreach Manager, and Linda Caraway Doherty, Community Engagement Manager South Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral attended the National Child Care Innovation Summit. The summit was presented in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. This groundbreaking summit brought together leaders from the public and private sector to discuss the vital role of child care for U.S. economic competitiveness. The event spotlighted the need for investment in child care and explored child care solutions, including creative care models and policies, emerging employer approaches, and dynamic public-private partnerships aimed at tackling the child care crisis head-on. This summit emphasized child care as a critical component of a thriving workforce and strong economic infrastructure.

Child care professionals: TODAY is the DEADLINE to apply for the SC BOO$T child care wage enhancement program! Submit your application to receive this one-time, federally-funded wage bonus. Apply at https://bit.ly/3SLqhT5.

Parents: Good dental habits start in the very early years. South Carolina Public Radio's Bobbi Conner talks with MUSC's Dr. Deirdre Williams about preventing dental cavities in childhood and the teen years.

Hear the short broadcast now at

Preventing dental cavities in childhood & the teen years This week Bobbi Conner talks with MUSC's Dr. Deirdre Williams about preventing dental cavities in childhood and the teen years.

"I'm bored!"

It's a complaint that almost every parent has heard a child make from time to time, especially during the long school break in the summer months.

No matter your child's interests, this new Leap Years blog from ABC Quality offers up ways to cure a kid's boredom with these time-honored solutions at https://bit.ly/465F5Cx.

What are ways for a child to combat summer boredom? ABC Quality is a voluntary rating and improvement program that helps South Carolina parents identify high quality child care and daycare providers.

Parents: This summer, free, nutritious meals and snacks are available for all kids under 18! 🍎

Across South Carolina, families can find summer meal sites in their communities offering free meals and snacks. Find a site near you at arcg.is/1XGCnj.

Providers: Children's Trust of South Carolina will hold their Building Hope for Children Conference 2024, a premier training event for child-serving professionals in South Carolina, August 28-29, in Greenville. Continuing education units (CEUs) are available.

You can now see the full conference schedule, including workshop sessions, and other details at scChildren.org/conference!

According to the 2024 KIDS COUNT Databook, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, South Carolina ranks 40th overall in child well-being.

📖 The Databook provides national and state child well-being data across four domains: economic well-being, education, health and family and community.

Read the report and learn more about child well-being in South Carolina at bit.ly/3z76QOu.

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life matter most. In fact, 80% of a child’s brain growth happens in the first three years of life.

Help Me Grow is your one stop for infant and early childhood healthy development resources, plugging families into the services they need at no cost, regardless of insurance coverage or type. To give babies and young children the best start possible, visit HelpMeGrowSC.org today.

Today, families all over the U.S. celebrate our country's independence.

Get kids in the patriotic spirit today with these fun Fourth of July facts that offer up entertaining tidbits as well as a dose of history.

17 Fun 4th of July Facts for Kids to Explain the History of the Holiday On July 4, families all over the U.S. celebrate our country's independence. Get kids in the patriotic spirit with these fun 4th of July facts that offer up entertaining tidbits as well as a dose of history.

Parents and Providers: Sensory play for children involves using all five senses while playing. Find out the benefits of sensory play and how to incorporate this type of exploration into a child's everyday life at home or in a child care setting.

How Does Sensory Play Help With a Child's Development? Sensory play involves using all five senses while playing. Find out the benefits of sensory play and how to incorporate this type of exploration into your everyday life.

Providers: The South Carolina Department of Social Services' SC Endeavors program reminds everyone that the deadline to apply for the SC BOO$T child care wage enhancement program is fast approaching.

Eligible child care professionals interested in the wage bonus program must submit their applications electronically by July 15, 2024.

For more information about the program and how to apply, visit scendeavors.org/registry/sc-boo-t/. Professionals who have questions about SC BOO$T can contact SC Endeavors at 864-250-8581 or email [email protected].

Parents: Did you know that families receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) can visit participating museums for free or reduced admission? 🏛️ Currently, 20 South Carolina museums offer this benefit.

Search by name or location to find a participating museum near you at museums4all.org.

Parents: Keep your child learning all summer! ABC Quality provides quick and easy games to play with growing children that can boost their brainpower in these fun and informative video lessons. Visit https://bit.ly/3RCEpib to start now!

Free meals are available for South Carolina kids under the age of 18 this summer. Hundreds of sites are now operational across the state participating in either the Summer Break Café (SBC) or Seamless Summer Option (SSO) meal programs.

Funded by the USDA and administered by the South Carolina Department of Education(SCDE), both programs help ensure that no child goes hungry during the summer months. For more information on meal site locations and operating times, explore the USDA Summer Meals Map at https://bit.ly/3XmYg8q or text ‘FOOD’ to 304-304.

Did you know children's bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults? According to SC DHEC, a child should NEVER be left alone in a vehicle.

To reduce heatstroke-related injury, remember to A-C-T:

A - Avoid heatstroke by never leaving a child in a car alone.
C - Create reminders that a child is in the backseat. For example, place your purse or bag in the backseat.
T - Take action! Call 911 if you see a child alone in a car.

Read more at bit.ly/44GXfcN.

For families with kids age 5 and younger, First Five SC provides a single starting point for finding free child care, Medicaid, SNAP food benefits, and more. With one online application, parents can see if they and their child are eligible for 40 programs and services. Get started right now at https://first5sc.org.

Parents: Are you looking for a free, fun outdoor activity to do with your child this summer? Check out Kids in Parks! 🌳

Kids in Parks is a national program that connects families to the outdoors through hands-on exploration. Find free activities and "e-Adventures" to engage kids and help them learn about the nature around them.

Learn more and find a trail near you at kidsinparks.com.

South Carolina First Steps reminds us there are only 7 weeks until the first day of kindergarten! Learn what it means to be ready and how you can help prepare your child for success.

Visit COUNTDOWNSC.org for more tips, resources, and exciting celebrations happening in your community. Let's get ready for an incredible kindergarten journey together!

On this first day of summer, a reminder for parents and guardians that any activities near a body of water pose many dangers to a child. Learning water safety measures can reduce the risk of injury:
- ALWAYS watch your child in and around water
- Learn emergency water protocol
- Educate your child on water safety
Learn more at bit.ly/4518ZXO.

Parents and Providers: In this short podcast, South Carolina Public Radio's Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Sara Ritchie about helping children learn to manage stress in their everyday lives.

Dr. Ritchie is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatrician at MUSC Children’s Health.

Helping children learn to manage stress This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Sara Ritchie about helping children learn to manage stress in their everyday lives.

Parents: Keep the spirit of reading alive by taking advantage of everything your local library offers! 📚🪄

This summer, encourage your child's love of reading by making the most of your local library:

⭐️ Build connections with librarians or other regular visitors
⭐️ Participate in a summer reading program
⭐️ Attend events, classes or story times

Discover more at to.pbs.org/3V4VZMn.

Parents: Make quality care a number one priority for your child outside the home! When seeking out a child care provider, refer to these Quality Questions when looking for an early childhood program to meet your family's needs at https://bit.ly/3wLpPwK.

PROVIDERS: Remind parents and caregivers how to keep babies safe and prevent unintended injury while sleeping with the American Academy of Pediatrics ABCs of safe sleep:

A - Alone: without pets, blankets or objects
B - On their back
C - In a crib: with a flat, firm mattress and a fitted sheet

Read more at bit.ly/41qZAqD.

How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained No one knows exactly what causes SIDS, so there's no guaranteed way to prevent it. However, creating a safe sleep environment can help reduce your baby's risk of SIDS. On the other hand, we do know what causes accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. This means parents can help prevent the...