Ratios, Group Size, and Supervision
Ensure staff to child ratio and maximum group size is maintained. According to the attendance records, the one-year-old classroom had up to 20 children with four staff, the youngest was one-year-old.
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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
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645 WEST NORTH STREET, Dover DE 19904 · License #169062 · Center · Licensed Child Care Center
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Ensure staff to child ratio and maximum group size is maintained. According to the attendance records, the one-year-old classroom had up to 20 children with four staff, the youngest was one-year-old.
Ensure staff-to-child ratio is maintained at all times. According to attendance records dated April 1, 2022, one staff was alone with 12 children, age three-years-old. According to attendance in the younger two-year-old classroom, one staff was alone with up to 13 children. At the visit, attendance from the morning showed one staff was alone with up to 17 three-year-old children before a second staff arrived.
On June 21, 2022, a complaint was accepted for investigation by OCCL regarding improper staff-to-child ratios. An investigation began on June 28, 2022, and concluded on July 6, 2022. This complaint is substantiated because according to attendance records, on June 23, 2022, Staff #1, an aide, was alone with six children in the one-year-old classroom from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Additional concerns noted were attendance for staff and children were not accurately documented on several occasions, including two times when it appeared there was not a staff present in the classroom with children.
Disposition: Substantiated
OCCL received a complaint on May 18, 2022. An investigation was conducted on May 31, 2022 regarding improper staff-to-child ratio. This complaint is substantiated for improper staff-to-child ratio because attendance documentation observed showed Staff #1 had nine two-year-old children alone for approximately ten minutes before a second staff member arrived. An additional concern is improper discipline because Staff #2 was observed by LS Sommer holding a child s earlobe, speaking in a threatening manner, and saying I ll tear your butt up and tell your mama.
Disposition: Substantiated
OCCL received a complaint on March 8, 2022, regarding improper staff-to-child ratios, staff using their phones rather than caring for children, and not providing contact information for the owners. An investigation was conducted on March 15, 2022. This complaint is substantiated for improper staff-to-child ratios in almost all classrooms according to attendance records dated March 8, 2022. An additional concern is Staff #5 and Staff #6 were alone without qualifications from DEEDs Early Learning or criminal history eligibility. There is no evidence to substantiate for not providing contact information for the owners because staff denied this allegation and LS Sommer observed documentation provided to parents which included the owners contact information. There is no evidence to substantiate for staff using their cellphones because all staff denied this allegation and LS Sommer did not observe staff using their cellphones during the visit. An additional concern noted is the hand-washing sink being more than five feet from the diaper-changing station.
Disposition: Substantiated
Generated from this facility's specific inspection record
Data synced from Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing on Jul 10, 2026 · Source records · Report an error
Ensure the administrator and/or curriculum coordinator have specialized training for school-age care.
Ensure child files are complete. Child #8, Child #9, Child #11, Child #12, Child #16, and Child #21 need lead testing. Child #14 and Child #17 need an updated health appraisal with lead testing and immunizations. Child #22 needs an updated health appraisal with lead testing. Child #7, Child #8, Child #9, Child #10, Child #11, Child #13, Child #16, Child #18, Child #19, Child #20, and Child #21 need developmental plans. Child #14 needs an MAR for Vaseline.
Ensure all areas are clean and in good repair. Repair the clogged sink in the young one's classroom. Clean the walls in the bathrooms and near the sinks in the two-year-old classrooms, school-age and the investigators classrooms. Reparis the booth in the school-age classroom. Repair the windowsills in the school-age and two-year-old classrooms. Ensure all sinks supply hot and cold water. Classrooms on the right side of the building do not have hot water running in the sinks. Ensure personal belongings are not touching. LS Sommer observed naptime sheets and blankets in a pile on top of a cot in one classroom. This was discussed and corrected.
Repair the broken fence on the larger playground. Replenish the fall zone material to ensure fall zones have nine inches of mulch. All indoor equipment where feet leave the ground require shock absorbent fall zones. Add shock absorbent fall zones to the indoor play space and the one-year-old classroom.
Purchase additional emergency food to allow shelter in place for 24 hours.
Ensure lesson plans include weekly opportunities. The younger four-year-old's need science and sensory. The three-year-old's need food/ health habits, science, music, and sensory.
Ensure there is a sufficient quantity of toys are available. Young twos needs more language, manipulatives, and music. Older twos need more language. Younger ones needs more language, manipulatives, and sensory.
Have an early childhood teacher trained in day-to-day operations.
Ensure the kitchen is kept clean. LS Sommer observed spills along the cabinet fronts, in the ovens and on the walls. This was corrected when kitchen staff cleaned.
Ensure changing tables are within five feet of a hand washing sink. This was discussed and corrected when the table were moved in the two-year-old classrooms. LS Sommer spoke with staff in the three-year-old classrooms about changing pull-ups. Staff stated they change the children standing up. Purchase non-porous mats, foot activated trashcans, diaper procedures, and disposable covers are available in these classrooms within five feet of a handwashing sink.
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #4 needs one reference. Staff #5 needs CPR/First Aid. Staff #6 needs question #4 completed on the health appraisal. Staff #8 needs administration of medication certification and an updated health appraisal with TB results. Staff #9 needs question #3 answered on the health appraisal. Staff #13 needs administration of medication certification, a job description, two references, an adult health appraisal with TB results and release of employment history with corresponding service letters. Child #14 needs #3 completed on the health appraisal. Staff #15 needs two references, employee declaration, drug/ alcohol statement, an adult health appraisal with TB results and release of employment history with corresponding services letters. Staff #16 needs service letters. Staff #17 needs administration of medication certification. Staff #18 needs on reference.
Complete and submit the Parents Right to Know log.
OCCL received a complaint on December 28, 2021. A phone investigation was conducted on December 28, 2021, and concluded January 26, 2022, regarding staff-to-child ratios, possibly not following COVID-19 guidelines, and not notifying DPH of COVID-19 cases. There is no evidence to substantiate for not following COVID-19 guidelines because LS Sommer observed proper notification to DPH and notification to the parents affected by the COVID-19 case. There is evidence to substantiate for improper staff-to-child ratio because according to attendance documentation submitted, Staff #5 was alone with five infants. An additional concern noted was that multiple children in multiple classrooms did not a top and bottom covering during naptime.
Disposition: Substantiated
OCCL received a complaint on August 24, 2021, regarding not following face covering requirements and improper discipline. An investigation was conducted on September 1, 2021. This complaint is substantiated for not following face covering requirements because photographs submitted to OCCL show staff wearing masks below the chin and upon arrival, LS Vandewater observed a staff member in the preschool classroom incorrectly wearing her mask on the live feed video camera. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper discipline because all staff denied the allegations regarding Staff #1 and all staff interviewed stated they do not have concerns with their fellow staff.
Disposition: Substantiated
OCCL received a complaint on August 31, 2021, regarding improper discipline. An investigation was conducted on September 1, 2021. This complaint is substantiated for improper discipline because Staff #3, Staff #7, Staff #6, and Ms. Thorpe stated Staff #1 would threaten children in the one-year-old classroom with a plucking motion.
Disposition: Substantiated