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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Across South Carolina, access to affordable, high-quality child care is shaping the lives of thousands of families. ABC Quality leads statewide efforts to ensure every child can learn and grow in a safe, nurturing environment. Within DSS’s Division of Early Care and Education, ABC Quality and South Carolina Endeavors work together to strengthen the state’s child care system. ABC Quality focuses on child-centered programming, while South Carolina Endeavors provides training and professional development for educators. A major challenge remains the ongoing staffing shortage. From 2018 to 2022, South Carolina lost around 2,500 early childhood professionals, many citing low pay and limited benefits. With average wages near $30,000 a year, many childcare centers struggle to retain staff. Tammy, a director at Living Springs for 18 years, says her center once served 140 children with over 20 staff members, but now, it operates at about half that size. Programs like the BOOST wage supplement have helped. Funded by one-time federal COVID-19 aid, BOOST provided two rounds of bonuses in 2024, reducing turnover by 8%. Still, more support is needed. DSS and its partners continue to push for fair pay, sustainable funding, and stronger workforce incentives to ensure every child in South Carolina has access to consistent, high-quality early education. Learn more at abcquality.org. Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here. WATCH US LIVE Watch WIS live during newscasts and Soda City Living in the livestream player below. When WIS is not on the air, the player will feature Gray Media’s Local News Live.
