Kindercare (Hillock Lane)
A licensed child care center in Wilmington, Delaware 19808
3449 Hillock Lane, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. (302) 731-7138.
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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?
2 visits with violations in the last three years, the latest on Jun 3, 2025; Delaware doesn’t list visits that found nothing.
19 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
19 violations in 2 months of the last 36. Last cited Jun 2025. 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.
Jun 3, 2025: unannounced Full Compliance Review9 violations
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Staff Qualifications
“Ensure staff alone with children, are qualified through DEEDS. Upon arrival, Staff #1 was alone with 4 three-year-olds and Staff #10 was alone with 8 four-year-olds. The administrator needs Infant/Toddler specialization on the DEEDS certification.”
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Personnel Files
The inspectors’ words, 104 words
“Ensure staff files are complete. Orientation for Staff #14, #16. OCCL health and safety for Staff #1, #3, #4, #9, #10, #13, #14, #15, #16. Application or Data sheet for Staff #5, #10, #15. Job description for Staff # 10. References for Staff #1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #13, #14, #15, and #16. Adult abuse for Staff #16. Health appraisal with TB for Staff #1, #3, #4, #6, #7, #10, #13, #16. Release of employment for Staff 31, #5, #13, #14, #15, #16. Service Letters for Staff #1, #5, #12, #13, #14, #15, and #16. CPR and First Aid for Staff #4 and #12.”
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Child Files
“Ensure children’s files are complete. Date of enrollment, hours, and days attending for Child #13. Emergency Card for Child #13. Health appraisal with immunizations for Child #14. Blood lead screening results for Child #2, #3, #7, #8, #13, and #14. Parent right to know log and screen permission for Child #13. Transportation and medication permission for Child #13. Developmental plans for Child #2, #4, #6, #9, and #14.”
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Kitchen and Food Preparation
“Ensure food is labeled with contents and expiration dates. Mutiple items in the back storage room and refrigerator did not have labels.”
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Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments
“Ensure nap equipment is labeled. Nap equipment in the preschool was not labeled, and no current cot chart.”
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Administration of Medication
“Ensure administration of Medication records are complete for all children receiving medication.”
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Emergency Planning
“Ensure emergency water is available for all children enrolled.”
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Feeding of Infants
“Ensure infant feeding schedule are updated monthly.”
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Lesson Plans
“Ensure lesson plans are current and posted or available. Toddler and Infant classroom had no lesson plans.”
Jun 7, 2024: unannounced Full Compliance Review10 violations
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Personnel Files
“Ensure staff files are completed. Job Description is needed for Staff #1, #3, and #7. Health Appraisal with TB for Staff #1, #3, #6, and #7. CPR and First Aid for Staff #2, #3, #6, #8, #10. OCCL Health and safety training is needed for Staff #1, #2, #8, and #10. Adult abuse registry check for Staff #3. Release of employment with service letters for Staff #3. Review child abuse and neglect and sleep safe for Staff #5. declaration and drug statement for Staff #6.”
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Child Files
“Ensure children’s files are completed. Health appraisal for Child #2,#5, and #7. Immunizations for Child #2 and #7. Blood Lead screening results for Child #2, #4, #5, #7, #8, and #10. Development Plans for Child #2-#12.”
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Indoor Space
“Ensure all surfaces are clean and cleanable. Repaired window sill in the preschool classroom. Replace the tile in the preschool classroom. Ensure all outlets have cover on them. -Cover outlets in the discovery preschool room.”
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Kitchen and Food Preparation
“Ensure food in the refrigerator is labeled with contents and date of expiration.”
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Outdoor Area
“Ensure fall zones meets requirements on both playgrounds. Remove all hazards from the playground.”
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Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments
“Ensure nap equipment is labeled in discovery preschool, preschool, and pre-k classrooms.”
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Equipment
“Ensure there is a sufficient quantity of toys in the preschool classroom.”
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Lesson Plans
“Ensure lesson plans are posted in the preschool classroom.”
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Activity Schedule
“Ensure schedule is posted in the Pre-K classroom.”
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License Renewal
“Ensure the application is submitted 60 days prior to expiration.”
All 2 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 2025 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 9 violations cited |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 10 violations cited |
Is it licensed?
- Licensed Child Care Center.
- Ages served, in Delaware’s words: 6 weeks through 12 years.
- Takes part in: Child Care Food Program (meals reimbursed), Purchase of Care (state-subsidized child care).
- Delaware lists it as: Private.
- Licence number 27906.
- Capacity: 68 children.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
Has Delaware acted against it?
- 3 complaint investigations in the last three years. Results, in Delaware’s words: Substantiated (2), No Evidence to Substantiate (1).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 2025 | OCCL Standards Complaint: No Evidence to Substantiate | The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on September 2, 2025, regarding concerns of not following diapering procedures and not accurately documenting diaper changes and not being respectful towards children in care. An investigation was conducted on September 10, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not following diapering procedures and not accurately documenting diaper changes based on staff interviews. Administrator #1 and five staff members stated children s diapers are checked hourly and changed immediately if/when soiled or at least every two hours. Administrator #1 and five staff members stated diaper changes are completed and then documented through the KinderCare application. All staff members interviewed denied putting a diaper change into the KinderCare Application without the diaper change being completed. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not being respectful towards children in care based on staff interviews. Administrator #1 and five staff members stated they have never observed staff members using degrading language/name-calling towards children in care. All staff members interviewed denied using degrading language/name-calling towards children. |
| Jul 9, 2025 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on June 20, 2025, regarding unqualified staff working alone in classrooms, not using respectful communication among staff and in front of the children, not being truthful when providing information to parents due to false/incorrect accident/injury reports, and staff using cellphones while responsible for caring for children. An investigation was conducted on June 27, 2025. This complaint is substantiated for unqualified staff working alone in the classroom based on attendance records reviewed for the week of June 18, 2025, through June 24, 2025. On June 18, 2025, there was an Early Childhood Intern alone with infants for four out of the five days of attendance viewed. A staff member with no DEEDS Early Learning qualification was signed in alone with one-year-old children on two of the five days. On June 24, 2025, a staff member was simultaneously signed into two rooms, causing either the infants to be unsupervised or a staff member with no DEEDS Early Learning certificate alone with one-year-old children. This complaint is substantiated for staff using cellphones while responsible for caring for children based on interviews conducted. All staff interviewed staff members use their personal cell phones to communicate in the group chat while caring for the children. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not using respectful communication based on staff interviews conducted. All staff interviewed stated the administration team and staff use respectful communication. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not being truthful when providing information to parents due to false/incorrect accident/ injury reports based on staff interviews. Two staff interviewed stated they were asked to write accident/injury reports without knowing the details of or witnessing the injury under the previous administration. The remaining nine staff interviewed denied ever doing so. An additi onal concern noted at the visit was a staff member was present within the facility and signed in to work with children without having a comprehensive background check completed. Another concern noted is inaccurate attendance records as there were several instances of staff not signing out of their classrooms from June 18, 2025, through June 24, 2025. |
| Apr 14, 2025 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on March 31, 2025, regarding concerns of improper staff-to-child ratios, insufficient staff, improper discipline by handling and speaking to children aggressively, staff not using respectful communication amongst each other, insufficient materials available for the children, not following lesson plans & daily activities, not having conferences/documenting progress, not having files available for all children, not completing MARs for medications, not completing infant feeding schedules, lack of outlet covers, not handling food properly, not following daily and weekly cleaning and sanitation requirements, and not having up-to-date infant feeding schedules. An investigation was conducted on April 3, 2025. This complaint is substantiated for not following lesson plans based on classroom observations. Lesson plans were not current in one classroom and one classroom had no lesson plans posted. This complaint is substantiated for not handling food properly based on observations of the kitchen. Food was observed being stored in the refrigerator and pantry with no expiration dates. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper staff-to-child ratios or insufficient staffing based on attendance records reviewed and observations during the visit. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper discipline handling and speaking to children aggressively or staff not using respectful communication among each other based on interviews conducted with Administrator #1 and four staff members. All staff interviewed stated they have never observed any staff members use improper discipline, have never observed any staff members be aggressive when handling or speaking to children, and all staff interviewed stated staff use respectful communication throughout out the facility. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for insufficient materials available for the children base d on classroom observations. All classrooms observed had materials for the children to use throughout the day. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not having conferences/documenting progress based on interviews conducted and documentation reviewed. Staff interviewed stated conferences are offered three times are year, children’s progress is continuously documented on the child’s assessment, and randomly reviewed children s assessments were observed. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not having files available for all children. Seven randomly selected children s files were checked, and all required documents were present. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not completing MARs for medications based on interviews conducted. Staff interviewed stated MARs are complete if children are on medication, but noted no children are currently on medication. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for lack of outlet covers based on classroom observations. All classroom outlets were observed with outlet covers. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not following daily and weekly cleaning and sanitation requirements based on interviews conducted. All staff interviewed stated mouthed toys get cleaned daily and weekly sanitation requirements are followed. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not having current infant feeding schedules because up-to-date infant feeding schedules were observed for the four enrolled infants. An additional concern noted during this investigation is children and staff not signed out of classrooms on multiple occasions upon review of attendance records. |
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?
- 2025: 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 |
|---|---|
| Kindercare (Hillock Lane) This child care provider | Not given |
| Learning Lane Childcare Center | Not given |
| Creative Beginnings Learning Center II | Not given |
| Limestone Hills Academy | Not given |
| Little Busy Bees Childcare | Not given |
| Nannie’s Day Care, Inc. | Not given |
| Soaring Sprouts Early Learning Center LLC | Not given |
| Limestone Hills Day School, LLC | Not given |
| St. John the Beloved Early Childhood Program | Not given |
| Celebree School of Pike Creek DBA the Bsl Group, LLC. | Not given |
| Rebecca Benoit | Not given |
| Kirkwood Early Learning Center, Inc. | Not given |
| Little People College | 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.