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License activeChild-care center

Christopher Early Learning Center Inc.

4001 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19802 · New Castle County (302) 764-7162 License #428845
17
inspections on file
17
recorded violations
—
severity not classified by the state
Sep 28, 2026
last inspection

Inspection history

Source: Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing

Records held from Sep 27, 2021 onward. Earlier visits may exist in the agency’s own files.

Delaware publishes only visits where a regulation was cited, plus complaint investigations. Visits that found no violations do not appear in the state's data, so a gap between dates here does not mean the program went uninspected. Delaware does not publish a severity weight for its citations.

Inspection history for Christopher Early Learning Center Inc.
DateKindOutcome as recordedViolationsOfficial record
Sep 28, 2026OCCL Standards ComplaintSubstantiated1Agency record
Sep 3, 2026Unannounced1 regulation cited1Agency record
Jun 17, 2026Unannounced1 regulation cited1Agency record
Apr 29, 2026Unannounced1 regulation cited1Agency record
Feb 18, 2026Unannounced Full Compliance Review3 regulations cited3Agency record
Jan 23, 2026OCCL Standards ComplaintSubstantiated1Agency record
Feb 5, 2025Unannounced Full Compliance Review1 regulation cited1Agency record
Sep 26, 2024OCCL Standards ComplaintNo Evidence to Substantiate0Agency record
Aug 14, 2024OCCL Standards ComplaintNo Evidence to Substantiate with Concern0Agency record
Feb 1, 2024Unannounced Full Compliance Review1 regulation cited1Agency record
Dec 8, 2023IA InvestigationUnsubstantiated with Concern0Agency record
Nov 21, 2023OCCL Standards ComplaintSubstantiated1Agency record
Aug 15, 2023OCCL Standards ComplaintNo Evidence to Substantiate0Agency record
Feb 13, 2023Unannounced Full Compliance Review4 regulations cited4Agency record
Jan 30, 2023OCCL Standards ComplaintSubstantiated1Agency record
Jan 13, 2023OCCL Standards ComplaintSubstantiated1Agency record
Feb 7, 2022OCCL Standards ComplaintNo Evidence to Substantiate with Concern0Agency record

Violations

Text reproduced verbatim · Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
How to read violations

Nearly every licensed provider accumulates some. A missing signature and an unlocked medicine cabinet are both “violations”, and they are not the same thing. Look at the class, the pattern over time and how quickly it was corrected — not the count alone.

Paperwork — records, postings, forms Standard — supervision, ratio, training Health & safety — direct risk to a child

Class is our grouping of the state’s own weights, reviewed per state. The agency’s own label is always shown beside it.

Sep 28, 2026OCCL Standards Complaint · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
Substantiated complaint

“: On August 31, 2026, OCCL received a complaint regarding allegations of improper behavior supports and failing to have and follow a policy stating parents or guardians visits and monitoring of the program are welcomed and permitted without prior approval. An investigation was conducted on September 3, 2026. This complaint is substantiated for failing to follow a policy stating parents' or guardians' visits and monitoring of the program are welcomed and permitted without prior approval. Staff #1 told a parent the rule is to inform the center first before they can visit. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper behavior supports. Staff #1 stated Administrator #1 only comes into their classroom when help is requested with behaviors, and no improper behavior supports have been observed. Additional concerns noted at the visit were the combining of the Maranatha Academy children and the child care children and the absence of attendance record documentation for the children and staff present at the time of the visit.”

Correction date not recorded
Sep 3, 2026Unannounced · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
43U — Children's Attendance

“LS observed one staff w/ 6 children in preschool. Both LS observed at 10:15 that there were 4 children w/ [name withheld], 3 older SA and one toddler. [name withheld] said 3 SA were a part of the private school, which he stated is open 9-1:00 pm, and they came in after 9:00 am with [name withheld] and were eating breakfast together. Toddler is part of CELC, and the drop-off cutoff is 9 am. At 9:00 am, the private school children should not be together with CELC. This was discussed with [name withheld]. The toddler room did not have an attendance sheet as of 10:15 when the 4 children arrived some time after 9:00, per [name withheld]. A licensee shall have and use a system for documenting children s attendance that includes the exact arrival and departure times in the child s classroom and be entered at the time of the arrival and departure of the child. The children were not signed into the room or center. LS #1 and LS #2 reminded the Administrator of the regulation that all children and staff need to be signed in at arrival. Administrator #1 agreed to ensure staff will comply in the future.”

Corrected Sep 3, 2026 · Status as recorded: Completed
Jun 17, 2026Unannounced · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
43U — Children's Attendance

“3 kids not signed in; 2 kids not signed out. This was corrected during the visit.”

Corrected Jun 17, 2026 · Status as recorded: Completed
Apr 29, 2026Unannounced · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
43U — Children's Attendance

“Ensure attendance for children is accurate. Upon arrival, 14 children were on the playground with 9 signed in. This was corrected at the visit. 3 children from Maranatha were present and combined. Maranatha was closed today as well as Red Clay School District.”

Corrected Apr 29, 2026 · Status as recorded: Completed
Feb 18, 2026Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 3 deficiencies cited
Not classified
30U — Personnel Files

“Ensure staff members have complete service letters or two additional references.”

Corrected Feb 19, 2026 · Status as recorded: Completed
Not classified
40U — Child Files

“Ensure child files are complete. Dates and hours attending needed for Child #1,2,3,8,16 *send all dates attending and hours attending for all children enrolled”

Corrected Feb 19, 2026 · Status as recorded: Completed
Not classified
63U — Administration of Medication

“Ensure administration of medication record is completed. Send MAR form for Child #14”

Corrected Feb 20, 2026 · Status as recorded: Completed
Jan 23, 2026OCCL Standards Complaint · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
Substantiated complaint

“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received multiple complaints on six separate dates in December regarding a lack of supervision, classrooms out of ratio, not following a schedule, not restricting use of electronics, bribing children with gift cards, not providing developmentally appropriate activities, not using respectful communication, not following the center s posted menu, not following required meal pattern requirements, improper transportation, not allowing access to the facility, failure to report abuse or neglect, and falsifying attendance records. On December 8, 2025, December 17, 2025, and December 22, 2025, unannounced complaint investigations were conducted. Based on the results of the investigation, this complaint is substantiated because attendance documents from the weeks of December 1, 2025, and December 15, 2025, show several instances where both staff and children are not being signed in and out of the classrooms. At the time of the visits, children were observed engaging in unstructured and unsafe behavior, including running throughout the classroom without supervision, and one child sustained a head injury, and an accident injury report was not completed and the parent or guardian was not immediately notified. Staff #1 described the classroom environment as out of control, corroborating concerns regarding failure to provide developmentally appropriate educational activities. Staff #1 reported children play on tablets and phones for extended periods, and that Child #2 and Child #3 are bribed with Roblox gift cards to allow prolonged device use. OCCL observed Child #2 and Child #3 using tablets not related to educational uses. It was also observed by OCCL that children were not provided with developmentally appropriate activities, and they were not being engaged by classroom staff. On multiple visits, the food served did not match the posted menu, and menu changes were not documented. Open and improperly labeled food was also observed in the kitchen. Transportation and off-site supervision concerns were substantiated when Staff #1 took Child #4 off-site during her lunch break to run an errand. Administrator #1 provided inaccurate and inconsistent information to OCCL. Administrator #1 reported Child #1 did not attend the child care center and was homeschooled; however, attendance records show Child #1 signed into the center on multiple dates. Purchase of Care (POC) representatives reported that Administrator #1 submitted claims for at least one child who should not have been receiving funds. Administrator #1 also reported Staff #2 was present and working in a classroom; however, Staff #2 was not signed into the center, and Staff #1 stated Staff #2 was not functioning as a classroom staff member. Administrator #1 further denied Staff #2 brought children from her Family Child Care Home to the center, despite Staff #1 and the Reporter stating these children were present and not signed in on the attendance records.”

Correction date not recorded
Feb 5, 2025Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
40U — Child Files

“Ensure child files are complete. Child # 5, 7 need immunization record and blood lead results OR notarized exemption letters”

Corrected Feb 7, 2025 · Status as recorded: Completed
Feb 1, 2024Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
30U — Personnel Files

“All staff files must be complete. Send the 7-hour health and safety training for one staff member.”

Corrected Feb 9, 2024 · Status as recorded: Completed
Nov 21, 2023OCCL Standards Complaint · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
Substantiated complaint

“On August 22, 2023, and August 30, 2023, two complaints regarding improper discipline were called into the Child Abuse and Neglect Line and accepted for investigation by the Institutional Abuse Unit (IAU) and the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL). An unannounced visit was conducted by OCCL and IAU on August 30, 2023. This complaint is substantiated for improper discipline because four out of five school-age children who were interviewed stated they had either been hit or had seen other children hit by Staff #1. The children all stated Staff #1 uses a ruler, which was found in the location disclosed by the children.”

Correction date not recorded
Feb 13, 2023Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 4 deficiencies cited
Not classified
30U — Personnel Files

“All staff files must be complete. Send the completed professional development plan for one staff member. Send the completed health and safety training certificate for three staff members. Send the updated fingerprinting receipt for two staff members.”

Corrected Mar 3, 2023 · Status as recorded: Completed
Not classified
40U — Child Files

“All child files must be complete. Send the documentation of the completed blood lead screening for four children. Send the current health appraisal for one child. Send the current immunizations for three children.”

Corrected Mar 3, 2023 · Status as recorded: Completed
Not classified
50U — Kitchen and Food Preparation

“Sweep and mop the floor in the kitchen, focusing on the areas along the edge of the cabinets. Send pictures after completion.”

Corrected Mar 3, 2023 · Status as recorded: Completed
Not classified
53U — Outdoor Area

“Ensure the playground has the appropriate fall zones for all raised equipment. Send the pictures when the fall zone areas have been corrected.”

Corrected Mar 11, 2023 · Status as recorded: Completed
Jan 30, 2023OCCL Standards Complaint · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
Substantiated complaint

“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on January 17, 2023, regarding the allegation that three children had their enrollment terminated due to retaliation from a previous complaint received by OCCL. The investigation of this complaint began on January 19, 2023. Although retaliation is not a regulation violation, the complaint is substantiated because the center did not follow its own expulsion policy. The center s policy states a child s enrollment may be terminated if they pose a serious threat to themselves or others. This would apply to Child #1, but not to Child #1 s siblings. Therefore, the two siblings should not have had their enrollment terminated.”

Correction date not recorded
Jan 13, 2023OCCL Standards Complaint · 1 deficiency cited
Not classified
Substantiated complaint

“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on December 28, 2022, regarding an allegation of improper discipline. An unannounced visit was conducted on January 4, 2023, to investigate the complaint. The complaint is substantiated for improper discipline because Child #2 stated during the investigation that Staff #1 grabbed him and hurt his arm in the exact scenario stated in the complaint OCCL received from the Reporter”

Correction date not recorded

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