South Carolina's ABC Quality, explained.

ABC Quality is South Carolina's voluntary daycare quality rating, with tiered levels that climb as a program meets higher standards. Because joining is optional, not every licensed South Carolina program carries an ABC Quality level — so a missing rating does not, on its own, mean a program is weaker.

If you are comparing daycares in South Carolina and you see an ABC Quality level, this guide explains what it measures, who licenses programs, how to confirm it, and how it connects to cost and subsidy. The aim is to help you treat the rating as one input rather than the whole decision. ABC Quality is run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS), inside the broader structure the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care sets for every state's quality system.

What is ABC Quality?

ABC Quality is South Carolina's voluntary quality rating and improvement system, with tiered levels that reflect higher standards as a program advances. It is run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS), per the State of South Carolina and the federal ACF Office of Child Care. Participation is optional, so a program can hold a current license and run a strong classroom without carrying an ABC Quality level.

A quality rating system does two jobs at once. It rates programs so families have a common yardstick, and it improves programs by pairing higher levels with coaching, training, and resources. South Carolina built ABC Quality with support from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by the ACF Office of Child Care, the same funding stream behind quality systems across the country.

Who runs and licenses daycare in South Carolina?

Licensing is the mandatory floor that every program must clear: the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) licenses and regulates child care programs. ABC Quality is the voluntary rating measured on top of that floor, and the same agency runs both. The table below separates the labels you will run into while you compare programs.

Because ABC Quality is voluntary, you will see levels on some South Carolina programs and not others — so confirm the current license status and any compliance history first, then read the ABC Quality level as a bonus signal where it exists.

How do I check a South Carolina daycare's level or license?

Start with the license: confirm the program's status with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) and review any compliance history. Then look at the ABC Quality level. Treat any rating as one verified data point alongside your own visit, because a rating can lag what a classroom is actually like by a year or more.

1. Confirm the license. Check the program's license status and recent compliance history with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS).
2. Read the level. Ask the program for its current ABC Quality level and what it is doing to maintain or raise it.
3. Tour anyway. A rating cannot tell you whether this teacher, on a Thursday morning, is warm and attentive. Visit, watch a drop-off, and ask about staff turnover.

How does an ABC Quality level affect cost and subsidy?

ABC Quality does not set tuition, which each program decides on its own. But in South Carolina, the state ties higher subsidy reimbursement to higher ABC Quality levels, while the SC Child Care Voucher program through the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) helps eligible families pay, a structure the ACF Office of Child Care encourages under the federal Child Care and Development Fund. For national context, ChildCare Aware of America's 2024 Price of Child Care report put center-based care at roughly $8,000 to $24,000 per year depending on age and state.

For South Carolina-specific figures, see our daycare cost guide and estimate your own with the cost calculator. If you may qualify for help paying, the SC Child Care Voucher program through the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) is the place to start.

Common questions

Where to go next

For the full picture in your state, see the South Carolina daycare guide, which covers licensing, subsidy, and pre-K. Our daycare quality and safety pillar explains accreditation, ratios, and what to look for on a tour.

Comparing how other states rate quality? Read our explainers on Quality Rated in Georgia, Florida's Gold Seal, and North Carolina's Star Rated License.