Delaware State University Early Childhood Laboratory School
A licensed child care center in Dover, Delaware 19901
1200 N. Dupont Highway, Dover, Delaware 19901. (302) 857-6731.
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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 Apr 14, 2026; Delaware doesn’t list visits that found nothing.
32 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
32 violations in 4 months of the last 36. Last cited Apr 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.
Apr 14, 2026: unannounced Full Compliance Review10 violations
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General Qualifications
“Ensure staff and volunteers are not present on site without an eligibility determination. Two staff were present without a comprehensive background check or eligibility determination. This was corrected at the visit when the staff were asked to leave and the Administrator agreed to not have them return until the letters are received.”
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Personnel Files
The inspectors’ words, 129 words
“Ensure staff files are complete. One staff needs OCCL’s Health and Safety Training for Child Care Professionals, completed health appraisal, two service letter attempts, and a completed PD plan. Six staff need a completed PD plan. One staff needs a complete file. One staff needs Orientation, OCCL’s Health & Safety Training, references, eligibility determination, adult abuse registry check, health appraisal with TB, and Service Letters. One staff needs Orientation, OCCL’s Health & Safety Training, references, adult abuse registry check, health appraisal, and service letters. One staff needs Orientation, references, adult abuse registry check, health appraisal, and service letters. One staff needs annual review of child abuse/neglect, orientation, TB screening, and service letters. One staff needs orientation, OCCL’s Health & Safety Training, references, health appraisal with TB, and service letters.”
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Child Files
“Ensure child files are complete. One child needs an updated health appraisal and blood lead level test result. Three children need a blood lead level test result.”
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Documenting Children’s Progress
“Ensure developmental progress is tracked for each child and developmental plans are completed. Establish an organized system for this and submit to OCCL.”
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Indoor Space
“Ensure all trash cans are covered. The trash can lid in the four-year-old classroom’s bathroom is broken and does not cover properly. Repair lid.”
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Sanitation
“Ensure diaper-changing area in the one-year-old classroom has a labeled soap and water bottle for cleaning. Add bottle.”
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Emergency Planning
“Ensure evacuation routes are posted in each classroom. Add routes to the two and four-year-old classrooms. Ensure fire prevention checklist and evacuation drills are conducted monthly. Conduct April’s and submit to OCCL.”
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Lesson Plans
“Ensure lesson plans are current and posted for each classroom and contain required activities based on age. Submit lesson plans for the one, two, and three-year-old classrooms.”
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Activity Areas
“Ensure activity areas in the two-year-old classroom include art supplies. Add accessible art supplies.”
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License Renewal
“Ensure renewal application is submitted at least 60 days prior to license expiration. This was corrected at the visit when the application was submitted.”
Apr 10, 2025: unannounced Full Compliance Review10 violations
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General Qualifications
“Ensure all staff are fingerprinted and receive an eligibility determination prior to beginning work. A kitchen staff person has been on site since January without a complete staff file or comprehensive background check. This was corrected at the visit when the staff person left for the day and will not permitted to return, according to the Administrator.”
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Personnel Files
The inspectors’ words, 189 words
“Ensure staff files are complete. One staff person needs CPR/FA training, a professional development plan, OCCL’s Health and Safety Training for Child Care Professionals, a job description, adult abuse registry check, health appraisal with TB screening, release of employment history, two documented attempts to obtain service letters, and two more references if a service letter is not returned. One staff person needs orientation, adult abuse registry check, health appraisal with TB screening, two documented attempts to obtain service letters, and one more reference is a service letter is not returned. Four staff need a professional development plan and annual review of child abuse/neglect. One staff person needs CPR/FA training, a professional development plan, annual review of child abuse/neglect, and OCCL’s Health and Safety Training for Child Care Professionals. One staff person needs CPR/FA training, annual review of child abuse/neglect, and a professional development plan. One staff person needs CPR/FA training, an application, resume or personal data sheet, job description, adult abuse registry check, health appraisal with TB screening, two documented attempts to obtain service letters, and either two or four references depending on if any service letters are returned.”
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Parents Right to Know
“Ensure the Parent’s Right to Know log is completed and signed by every enrolled family or family touring the facility. Review the Parent’s Right to Know information with each enrolled family and obtain signatures of the parent or guardian.”
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Child Files
“Ensure child files are complete. Two children need a signed Parent’s Right to Know. One child needs a blood lead level test result. One child need updated immunizations. All children need a completed child development plan.”
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Indoor Space
“Ensure children’s individual belongings are not touching. Separate personal belongings in the pre-k 4 classroom. Ensure outdoor trash cans are inaccessible to children. Either remove trash cans from outdoor play area or secure lids with a lock to make them inaccessible. Ensure air fresheners are not used in child care space. Remove air refreshener from the one-year-old classrooms.”
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Toilet Facilities
“Ensure liquid soap is available at all times in the toilet rooms. There was no liquid soap in one of the two toilet rooms in the three-year-old classroom. Add soap.”
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Outdoor Area
“Ensure outdoor play area is maintained in a clean condition. LS Brey observed trash scattered on the playground. Clean all trash from area. Ensure mulch in all fall zones measures nine inches deep. Rake mulch to all fall zones or replenish, as needed, to nine inches. Ensure gates are self-closing and self-latching. Repair main entrance gate to ensure it self-closes and self-latches.”
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Diapering and Soiled Clothing
“Ensure diaper-changing procedures are posted in all areas used for diapering. Post procedures in the one-year-old classroom. Ensure disposable covers are available and being used between each diaper change. Supply disposable covers in each diapering area.”
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Administration of Medication
“Ensure Medication Administration Records (MAR) are being completed and signed by the parent/guardian for all medications. Diaper creams, lotions, sunscreens, and chap sticks were observed in classrooms without appropriate permissions on an MAR. Either obtain MAR’s for each medication or return the medication to the family.”
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Lesson Plans
“Ensure current lesson plan is posted each week. Post current lesson plan in the one-year-old classroom. Ensure lesson plans for ages two and older contain a weekly opportunity in a food/healthy habit. Update lesson plan to include this in the two-year-old classroom.”
Jul 11, 2024: unannounced2 violations
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Ratios, Group Size, and Supervision
“Ensure ratios and maximum group size are maintained at all times, according to the youngest child present. According to attendance records submitted to OCCL for corrective action from non-compliances cited during a complaint investigation on June 26, 2024, the movement room was over maximum group size. Records show the center was also over maximum group size for nap.”
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Staff Attendance
“Ensure staff are documenting their exact arrival and departure time in each classroom. According to attendance records submitted to OCCL for corrective action from non-compliances cited during a complaint investigation on June 26, 2024, staff were signed into multiple rooms at the same time and not signed out on multiple days.”
Apr 9, 2024: unannounced Full Compliance Review10 violations
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Insurance Coverage
“Maintain current insurance documentation.”
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Personnel Files
“Ensure staff files are complete. Two staff need an Adult Health Appraisal with TB screening and two attempts at obtaining Service Letters. One staff needs a Release of Employment History, a Professional Development Plan, and must complete OCCL’s Health and Safety Training for Child Care Professionals. One staff needs two attempts at obtaining a Service Letter and one more Reference if Service Letters are not received.”
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Child Files
The inspectors’ words, 110 words
“Ensure child files are complete. One child needs an updated Health Appraisal. One child needs an updated Health Appraisal and Immunizations. Five children need a blood lead level test result. Three children need completed Medication Administration Records (MAR) for their diaper creams. Anything other than soap and water is considered medication and requires a signed MAR. LS Brey observed baby lotion in the classrooms, accessible to children, and was told by staff they apply it to the children after wiping their faces. Discontinue the general use of baby lotion in all classrooms or obtain parent permission on an MAR for each child and each child must have their own bottle.”
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Children’s Attendance
“Ensure accurate attendance records are maintained at all times, documenting the exact arrival and departure of every child. Three children were not signed into the two-year-old classroom. This was corrected at the visit when the children were signed in.”
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Hazardous Materials
“Label all soap/water and sanitizer bottles used in the classroom.”
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Indoor Space
“Ensure children’s belongings are stored neatly and not touching. Add outlet covers to any exposed outlets in the classrooms. Purchase covered trash cans for each classroom.”
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Outdoor Area
“Repair entrance gate to the outdoor playground area to ensure it is self-closing and self-latching. Replenish mulch in all fall zones to at least 9 inches. Repair or remove the “gear” play equipment in the large playground area. LS Brey observed cracked corners and one large piece hanging off that was broken and had sharp edges.”
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Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments
“Label all children’s rest equipment. Store equipment so the bedding is not touching.”
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Lesson Plans
“Ensure lesson plans are posted for each classroom. Ensure lesson plans for ages two and older include a weekly opportunity for a healthy food/habit, science, music, and sensory activity.”
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License Renewal
“Ensure renewal application is submitted at least 60 days prior to license expiration.”
All 4 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2026 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 10 violations cited |
| Apr 10, 2025 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 10 violations cited |
| Jul 11, 2024 | Unannounced | 2 violations cited |
| Apr 9, 2024 | Unannounced Full Compliance Review | 10 violations cited |
Is it licensed?
- Licensed Child Care Center.
- Ages served, in Delaware’s words: 1 year through 5 years.
- Takes part in: Child Care Food Program (meals reimbursed), Purchase of Care (state-subsidized child care).
- Delaware lists it as: Nonprofit.
- Licence number 851437.
- Capacity: 67 children.
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing, Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.
Has Delaware acted against it?
- 7 complaint investigations in the last three years. Results, in Delaware’s words: Substantiated (5), No Evidence to Substantiate (1), No Evidence to Substantiate with Concern (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 27, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On November 12, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding sanitation, insect and rodent infestation, fall zones, unqualified staff, lack of supervision, not changing soiled clothing, and positive behavior supports. An investigation was conducted on November 12, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for non-compliant fall zones, unqualified staff alone with children, and a lack of supervision because during the walk-through and interviews, two unqualified staff were observed alone with children in the two-year-old classroom. According to staff interviewed, it was also determined a child, Child #1, was able to exit the playground through a broken gate and walk, unsupervised, back to the center in September. While conducting interviews in the outdoor play area, it was observed the mulch was not nine inches deep, as required, in all fall zones. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the staff left a child to nap in urine-soaked clothing as an act of discipline. Administrator #1 denied this allegation stating she was tending to three other children when the child soiled herself. Approximately 10 minutes later, another staff person entered the room and changed the child. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the center is unsanitary, and the toys are not clean. During the walk-through, the conditions were sanitary. Toys and floors were well-maintained and not visibly dirty. Cleaning materials, including sanitizers, were also observed. In addition, there were no holes observed in the walls. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the center is infested with rodents and roaches. All staff interviewed stated there was an issue in the past with mice, but an exterminator came in to treat and it has not been an issue since. |
| Nov 12, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: No Evidence to Substantiate | On October 10, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding kitchen requirements. An investigation was conducted on October 22, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because one dishwasher was observed working properly. Additionally, families provide cups for their children daily and disposable cups were available in the classrooms. |
| Oct 29, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On September 23, 2024, and September 25, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received complaints regarding improper staff-to-child ratio. An investigation was conducted on October 1, 2024. This complaint is substantiated because according to attendance records on September 23, 2024, the two-year-old classroom was over ratio and maximum group size with up to 21 children ages two and three with two staff. Additionally, the attendance records show the three-year-old children were combined with the two-year old children in the two-year-old classroom for eight of the ten days reviewed. An additional concern noted was an unqualified staff member with a provisional eligibility determination, pending an out-of-state-background check, was alone with the children. A separate attendance record was not available for the movement room at the end of the day when the classrooms combine. Attendance records also show staff not signing out of classrooms and children not being signed out at the end of the day. |
| Oct 8, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On September 5, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding not providing a parent handbook, incomplete child files, child attendance, not having lesson plans, and food allergies. An investigation was conducted on September 12, 2024. This complaint is substantiated because Administrator #1 stated a parent handbook was not provided to every family upon the enrollment of their child. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation regarding incomplete child files because five randomly selected child files reviewed contained a current health appraisal, immunizations, emergency contact information and parent s right to know form. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation of child attendance because each attendance record reviewed for the week of September 9, 2024, to September 12, 2024, showed exact arrival and departures times of each child. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation regarding food allergies because Administrator #1 stated each classroom, and the kitchen have the children s food allergy list. Administrator #1 stated parents provide lunch, and they complete checks to ensure food items are not shared. Regarding the allegation that lesson plans are not posted, Licensing Specialist (LS) #1 observed lesson plans posted outside each classroom. A concern noted was the lesson plans did not contain activities in all the required areas which include cognitive, social-emotional, language/literacy, and physical. Additionally, the lesson plans for children ages two-years-old and older did not provide weekly opportunities for special activities, including a food or healthy habit, science, music, or sensory. |
| Sep 4, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: No Evidence to Substantiate with Concern | On August 12, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding exceeding maximum group size and improper staff-to-child ratio. An investigation was conducted on August 14, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because Staff #1 stated she was present the afternoon of August 9, 2024, and the movement room was not over ratio. According to the attendance records viewed, only five children were documented as being in the movement room in the afternoon of August 9, 2024. However, a concern noted was the attendance for the one-year-old room for August 9, 2024, was unable to be located. |
| Jul 9, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On June 25, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper staff-to-child ratio. An investigation was conducted on June 26, 2024. This complaint is substantiated because attendance records for the K-prep classroom and statements from Staff #1 indicate the room had 13 children, ages three and four, with one staff from approximately 2:50 pm when they woke from their nap until 3:58 pm when enough children were picked up from the center. |
| Apr 3, 2024 | OCCL Standards Complaint: Substantiated | On March 11, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper staff-to-child ratio. An investigation was conducted on March 11, 2024. This complaint is substantiated because all three classrooms that were open during the visit were not following proper staff-to-child ratio. During the visit there were 12 three-year-old children with one staff member who was qualified but not eligible, 21 children ages one to three with two staff, and during nap there were 28 three- and four-year-olds with an aide and qualified staff who was not fingerprinted. Based on attendance and interviews, one qualified staff was alone that morning with 16 two-year-olds and an aide was alone in the morning with 16 four-year-olds. Additional concerns noted were three college students and one staff were present and were not fingerprinted for the center, an aide was alone with children, maximum group size was exceeded in the two-year-old classroom and multipurpose classroom, security procedures were not being followed because the door to the three-year-old classroom was open to the hallway of the college, cots were less than 18 inches apart, many of the children were missing top or bottom coverings for nap, one-year-olds were watching television, two fans were in use and accessible to children, and various keep out-of-reach items were within the reach of children in the two-year-old classroom. Non-compliance Cited: Reg 27: Ensure unqualified staff are not alone with children, proper staff-to-child ratio is maintained at all times, and maximum group size is not exceeded. During the visit there were 12 three-year-old children with one staff member who was qualified but not eligible, 21 children ages one to three with two staff, and during nap there were 28 three- and four-year-olds with an aide and qualified staff who was not fingerprinted. Based on attendance and interviews, one qualified staff was alone that morning with 16 two-year-olds and an aide wa s alone in the morning with 16 four-year-olds. Submit a staffing plan including children names, DOB, staff names, and assigned classrooms, meal plan, and break plan to OCCL. Non-compliance Cited: Reg 28: Ensure staff are fingerprinted and determined eligible before being present at the center. Staff #1 had no eligibility on file and was not fingerprinted for the facility, but stated she has worked there since June. Staff #1 may not be present until her eligibility is determined. Three college students were present with the children and had not been fingerprinted for the center. Email OCCL once Staff #1 is determined eligible, and all the college student workers have been fingerprinted. Non-compliance Cited: Reg 48: Fans and cords must be inaccessible to children. Two fans were observed in use and in the children s reach. Remove fans and submit verification. Non-compliance Cited: Reg 49: Ensure hazardous items are out of the children s reach. The licensing specialist observed disinfectant wipes, Aquaphor, hand sanitizer, two bottles of Lysol, Pine Sol, and two unlabeled spray bottles within the children s reach. Remove chemicals and submit a photograph. Ensure security procedures that ensure access to children is limited to authorized people. Upon arrival, the door to the three-year-old classroom was open to the hallway of the college. Review security procedures with all staff and submit a signed form to OCCL. Non-compliance Cited: Reg 56: Ensure each child has a clean top and bottom cover and ensure cots or mats are at least 18 inches apart. Review with staff nap regulations and submit a signed form to OCCL. Non-compliance Cited: Reg 76: Ensure children under the age of two do not have screen time. One-year-old children were observed in the two-year-old classroom while the television was on and playing videos. This was discussed and corrected at the visit when the television was turned off. |
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?
- No facility injuries reported. 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 |
|---|---|
| Delaware State University Early Childhood Laboratory School This child care provider | Not given |
| Favored Children Academy | Not given |
| Pediatric Health Choice at the Children’s Secret Garden | Not given |
| Shell’s Early Learning Center - Dover | Not given |
| Beginnings and Beyond II | Not given |
| Destined for Greatness Learning Center II | Not given |
| The Little Peoples Lfcc 2 | Not given |
| Gathering Lambs | Not given |
| All Beautiful Children Learning Academy | Not given |
| Angels of Mine Daycare | Not given |
| Cherise Vogel | Not given |
| Mercedes Shorts DBA All Shorts of Love LLC | Not given |
| Loren Fuller | 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.