Ducklings Elc Middletown South
A licensed child care center in Middletown, Delaware 19709
760 Levels Road, Middletown, Delaware 19709. (302) 492-2100.
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The short answer
Record last released by Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing on Oct 23, 2026.
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean4
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
- Licence status
- Whether the state’s licence lets the place operate now, in the state’s own words: licensed, on probation (allowed to keep operating on conditions, after problems), provisional, pending or expired. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
- Capacity
- The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
4 visits with violations in the last three years, the latest on Jul 13, 2026; Delaware doesn’t list visits that found nothing.
7 violations cited in the last three years.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Child Care Licensing Compliance Review Information. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
When those violations happened
7 violations in 4 months of the last 36. Last cited Jul 2026. The last 3 years, to Oct 24, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each violation, in its source’s words
Grouped by visit, newest first, with the level its source gave it.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Child Care Licensing Compliance Review Information. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
Jul 13, 2026: announced1 violation
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Feeding of Infants
“Ensure proper feeding of infants. A staff member was reported to have fed breast milk to the incorrect infant. Staff member was removed from classroom and retrained on safe feeding requirements.”
Apr 9, 2026: unannounced Full Compliance Review1 violation
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Personnel Files
“Ensure staff files are complete. OCCL H&S needed for Staff #1, #6, #8, #9, #10. Job description needed for Staff #9. Health appraisal/TB needed for Staff #4, #6, #8, #9 (TB), #10. CPR/FA needed for Staff #10. References needed for Staff #5, #6, #8, #10.”
Oct 21, 2025: unannounced Full Compliance Review4 violations
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Personnel Files
“Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #1 needs CPR/FA. Staff #5 needs medication cert updated, health appraisal/TB. Staff #6 needs health appraisal/TB. Staff #7 needs CPR/FA, 1 reference, health appraisal/TB. Staff #8 needs 2 references, health appraisal/TB.”
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Staff Attendance
“Ensure staff sign in/out of classrooms. Crickets/Caterpillars.”
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Child Files
“Ensure children’s files are complete. Child #8 needs blood lead screening.”
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Children’s Attendance
“Ensure children are signed in/out of classrooms. Crickets/Caterpillars.”
Jul 23, 2025: 60-Day Visit1 violation
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Personnel Files
“Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #2 needs job description, 1 reference, health appraisal. Staff #3 needs orientation. Staff #5 needs job description. Staff #6 needs health appraisal/TB. Staff #7 needs job description. Staff #8 needs orientation, safe sleep, abuse/neglect, OCCL 7 hr training, job description, 4 references, declaration, drug/alcohol, release of employment.”
All 4 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 13, 2026 | Announced | 1 violation cited |
| Apr 9, 2026 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 1 violation cited |
| Oct 21, 2025 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 4 violations cited |
| Jul 23, 2025 | 60-Day Visit | 1 violation cited |
Is it licensed?
- Licensed Child Care Center.
- Ages served, in Delaware’s words: 6 weeks through 6 years.
- Takes part in: Purchase of Care (state-subsidized child care).
- Licence number 1653680.
- Capacity: 177 children.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
Has Delaware acted against it?
- 5 complaint investigations in the last three years. Results, in Delaware’s words: No Evidence to Substantiate (3), Substantiated (2).
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Child Care Licensing Complaint Reviews and Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
| Date | What | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 2026 | OCCL Standards Complaint: No Evidence to Substantiate | On August 4, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding allegations of lack of supervision, not meeting needs of infants/toddlers, and failing to respond to parents concerns. An investigation was conducted on August 5, 2026. Based on interviews and observations, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint. Although one staff stated they have heard infants cry for more than ten to fifteen minutes, three staff members stated at times they may be tending to another infant but they respond to infants cries in a timely manner. Based on interviews and observations, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to respond to parents concerns. The administrator stated parents can have private conversations with administrators through the Brightwheel application, they can come to them directly or communicate through email. |
| Jun 3, 2026 | OCCL Standards Complaint: No Evidence to Substantiate | On May 6, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received two complaints regarding allegations of failing to use appropriate behavior supports. An investigation began on May 13, 2026, and concluded on May 19, 2026. Based on staff interviews, video and documents reviewed, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to use appropriate behavior supports. Child #1 was observed on video being dropped off for care without displaying movement in their arm and both staff in the classroom stated Child #1 did not display any signs of distress throughout the day. |
| May 7, 2026 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On April 14 16, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received three complaints regarding allegations of failing to use appropriate behavior supports. An investigation was conducted on April 17, 2026. Based on staff interviews, video, and documents reviewed, this complaint is substantiated for failing to use appropriate behavior supports. Staff were observed on video holding a bathroom door shut to prevent a child from exiting the bathroom. One staff member was terminated from employment on April 15, 2026. |
| Apr 14, 2026 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On March 26, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding allegations of infant safe sleep practices, infant feeding schedules and using inappropriate behavior supports. An investigation was conducted on March 31, 2026. Based on interviews and observations, this complaint is substantiated for failing to follow safe sleep practices. LS #1 observed a sleep-positioning device in the crib of a child who did not have documentation for the device from a health care provider. Based on interviews and review of documents, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to have or follow infant feeding schedules. LS #1 reviewed all updated infant feeding schedules. Infant schedules are individually based and staff stated there is daily communication with parents. Based on interviews with staff, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for using inappropriate behavior supports with children. All staff members stated they do not yell at children in the infant classroom. One staff member stated there is a staff member that sometimes raises their voice but does not yell. |
| Apr 1, 2026 | OCCL Standards Complaint: No Evidence to Substantiate | On March 16, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OOCL) received a complaint regarding allegations of failing to use appropriate behavior supports, failing to provide incident reports to families and failing to follow suspension/expulsion policies. On March 17, 2026, OCCL received two additional complaints regarding the same incident. An investigation was conducted on March 19, 2026. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to use appropriate behavioral support. LS #1 interviewed staff members, who all stated they did not use improper behavior supports with Child #1. LS #1 viewed video footage clips and did not view Child #1 being hit or scratched by a staff member. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to provide incident reports to families. Although the facility did not complete an incident report for scratches on Child #1 s back, there was no evidence to show any staff member was aware of an injury happening at the facility. LS #1 interviewed staff who all stated there were no incidents where Child#1 was injured or seemed in distress. LS #1 viewed video footage clips and did not see Child #1 being hit or scratched by a staff member or another child, nor did they seem to be in distress. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to follow suspension/expulsion policies. LS #1 reviewed the Parent Handbook and confirmed the center followed their written policies. Owner #1 stated they discussed the expulsion policy and made both parents aware Child #1 would be suspended, and if the following week they displayed the same unsafe behaviors, they would be expelled. Owner #1 stated the parents terminated care for Child #1 effective that day. |
Who does the caring?
- Delaware doesn’t publish staffing levels for individual providers.
Who owns it?
- Delaware’s open data doesn’t list owners.
How is it rated?
- 2026: 1 facility injury. No facility deaths reported.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
How does it compare nearby?
- Providers aren’t compared: Delaware lists only the visits that found violations, so a count can’t tell a clean record from one never visited.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Child Care Licensing Compliance Review Information. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
| Place | Violations cited in the last three years |
|---|---|
| Ducklings Elc Middletown South This child care provider | Not given |
| Katherine Manning | Not given |
| Barbara Needles | Not given |
| Shaun Mullan-Wright DBA Sunshine Children’s House | Not given |
| Happy Place Child Care of Middletown | Not given |
| Jeffrey Whiting | Not given |
| Susan Thompson | Not given |
| Peace Arousa Augusta Osayanmwen | Not given |
| Mercy Land Academy | Not given |
| Brilliant Little Minds @apc | Not given |
| Grow & Learn Childcare Center | Not given |
| Charlotte Goode | Not given |
| Celebree School of Middletown | Not given |
What the record doesn’t say
- Delaware doesn’t grade violations by severity, so read what was cited.
- Delaware’s open data lists a visit only when a violation was cited there, so visits that found nothing aren’t shown.
- Delaware publishes five years of reviews and complaints; this page shows the last three.
- Delaware doesn’t publish staffing levels or owners for individual providers.
- Delaware lists only the visits that found violations, so a provider with none listed may not have been visited at all: no count of violations is used to headline, filter or compare its providers.
Sources
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Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities (iuzd-3dbt).
Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated daily. Public Domain.
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Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Child Care Licensing Compliance Review Information (wb83-pkcv).
Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated daily. Public Domain.
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Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Child Care Licensing Complaint Reviews (pnbd-85r6).
Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated daily. Public Domain.
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing. Delaware’s own record is on data.delaware.gov. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Oct 24, 2026.
From the provider
The public record above comes first. Anything the provider adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the provider will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the provider”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.