Little Hearts Childcare, Llc

“On August 3, 2026, OCCL received a complaint alleging the licensee employed or retained Adult #1, who has not completed a comprehensive background check and would not be eligible to be employed at a child care facility. An unannounced investigation was conducted on August 5, 2026. Administrator #1 and the staff interviewed did not identify Adult #1 as working within the center; however, on August 6, 2026, Owner #1 confirmed Adult #1 was employed at the program's off-site human resources office. After confirming with all sources related to background checks within child-serving entities, including Delaware Code Title 31 309, Title 16 923, and DELACARE Regulation 28, this complaint is substantiated for employing Adult #1 at the child care facility, as all staff or contractors working for a child-serving entity must complete a comprehensive background check and be determined eligible. Findings: Based on the results of the investigation, this complaint was: Substantiated”

“On May 14, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding allegations of staff members working in the facility before completing comprehensive background checks and being determined eligible by the Criminal History Unit. An investigation was conducted on May 19, 2026. This complaint is substantiated based on staff interviews and review of posted staff schedules. Administrator #1 and five staff members stated Person #1 volunteers at the facility during events and was scheduled to work alone in classrooms on multiple days, and Person #2 works at the facility as a Human Resources Specialist regularly, twice a week for 2.5 hours as reflected on the four weeks of staff schedules reviewed. An additional concern noted at the visit is children's attendance is not being documented correctly. The two-year-old, three-year-old, and four-year-old classrooms had inaccurate child attendance records.”

“Ensure EC Administrator has age-specific specializations for population served. Staff #7 needs Infant/Toddler Specialization on DEEDS Admin Cert. Send OCCL confirmation email of submitted application by 5/8/2026.”

“Ensure staff-to-child ratios are maintained at all times. During visit, the one-year-old classroom was observed with 9 children and one staff member. During the visit, the preschool staff member was observed standing between tow classrooms leaving classrooms with no direct supervision. Corrected at Visit.”

“Staff must receive an eligibility determination or a provisional eligibility before the start of employment. Staff #12 was sent home at the visit and cannot return until eligibility has been received. Send eligibility letter to OCCL.”

“Ensure staff files are complete. Professional Development Plan needed for Staff #2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Annual Review of Safe Sleep needed for Staff #2, 3, 6, 8, 9. Annual Review of Abuse and Neglect needed for Staff #2, 3, 6, 8, 9. Orientation needed for Staff #1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12. OCCL Health and Safety Training needed for Staff #10, 12. Job Description needed for Staff #1, 5, 11. References needed for Staff #1, 4, 5, 10, 11. Declaration and Drug/Alcohol statement needed for Staff #4, 12. Health appraisal with TB screening needed for Staff #1, 4, 10. Release of Employment History needed for Staff #4. Service Letters (or 2 additional references) needed for Staff #7, 10, 11, 12. CPR and First Aid needed for Staff #10. Annual Training hours for Staff #2, 6, 8, 10. Out of State Clearances needed for Staff #10.”

“Ensure child files are complete. Blood lead screening results needed for Child #4, 12.”

“Ensure indoor space is hazard-free, cleanable and in good repair. Remove extension cord in room 6 or secure and cover if in used. Ensure walls are cleanable. Patch/paint exposed dry wall in Rooms 2, 3, School-Age are. Send photos.”

“Ensure a separate hand-washing sink is used in the kitchen. Move soap dispenser from double-sink to singe handwashing sink. Send photo to OCCL. Ensure there is a working thermometer reading 0 in the kitchen freezer. Ensure there is a working thermometer reading 41 or colder in the refrigerator in room 6. Send photos of thermometers.”

“Ensure requires protective surface is beneath climbing equipment/slides. Move portable slide from blacktop area to an area with resilient material that absorbs falls. Send photo to OCCL.”

“Ensure sleep equipment is non-absorbent and cleanable. Replace all torn nap mats in classrooms throughout the center. Send photos of new mats to OCCL.”

“Ensure all staff are following diapering procedure including cleaning mats, washing staff and child hands between each change. Review diapering process and have staff sign off.”

“Ensure there is a full travel first aid kit with emergency numbers in the bus. Send photo to OCCL.”

“Ensure there are no pets that are known to be carriers of illnesses, such as turtles. Remove turtle from room 6. Inform OCCL when removed.”

“Provide documentation of the administrator's presence in the center at least 50% of the hours of operation.”

“Ensure all staff stay in their assigned classrooms at all times to maintain correct staff-to-child ratios.”

“Provide documentation of completion of all staff files. Submit: CPR/FA certification for staff #1, 2, 6, & 8; administration of medication certification or training for Staff #3, 5, 10; prof. dev. plan for Staff #1; annual abuse and neglect for Staff #8; orientation for Staff # 3, 7; OCCL Health and Safety for Staff # 3, 5, 6, 7, 10; an application for Staff #7; two non-family references for Staff #6, 7, 11; declaration and drug/alcohol notices for Staff #7; release of employment / service letters #6, 7. Not determined: completion of annual training hours for Staff #2 needs 10 hours; #6 needs 6 hours; #12 needs 1.25; #8 needs 18 hours and # 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 need two hours in health & safety.”

“Submit accurate attendance for all staff and children with each classroom arrival and departure. Send April 7-11 and 14-18 to OCCL .”

“Provide updated infant feeding schedules for all infants for the month of April.”

“Submit accurate attendance for all staff and children with each classroom arrival and departure. Send April 7-11 and 14-18 to OCCL .”

“Provide documentation of current radon test readings of 4.0 pCi/I or below.”

“Submit documentation to OCCL a covered trash can in the infant and dragonflies' classrooms.”

“Provide documentation of thermometers in the refrigerators in the infants, bumblebees and butterflies room reading 41 degrees F or below.”

“Provide documentation of accessible paper towels in the infant room, and repair or replacement of the toilet in the butterflies' bathroom.”

“Provide documentation of the infant cribs being placed 18 inches apart.”

“Provide documentation of removal of the hazardous block basket and broken chair in the school-age room.”

“Submit documentation for disposable covering for the changing table in the infant room and a foot-activated trash can for diapering in the bumblebees room.”

“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on November 8, 2024, regarding concerns of improper staff-to-child ratios, exceeding maximum group size, failure to follow illness exclusions, failure to have health appraisals on file, failure to have developmental plans or conferences for children, and not having accident/injury reports for children. An investigation was conducted beginning November 18, 2024, and ending on November 22, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for improper staff-to-child ratios and exceeding maximum group size because classrooms were observed out of staff-to-child ratio during the first visit. On November 18, 2024, there were 19 children in a classroom, ages two to four with two staff members and 12 three-to-four-year-old children with one staff member. This complaint is substantiated for failure to have child health appraisals, child developmental plans, proof of conferences, and accident/injury reports based on all child files being inaccessible during two visits. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failure to follow illness exclusions based on interviews with multiple staff members. Staff members stated children are sent home when sick and must have a doctor s note to return. Additional concerns noted at this visit include the inability of OCCL to access any files or records, and the staff member designated in charge of day-to-day operations in the Administrator s absence could not meet all requirements of the position. An additional concern is staff members without DEEDS Early Learning certifications were observed alone with children on both November 18, 2024, and November 22, 2024. An additional concern during this investigation is child and staff attendance records were not accurate; children and staff were moving around the building upon arrival, and records did not accurately reflect the number of children and where they were in the center. An additional concern from this visit is the posted lesson plans in the school-age classroom were from April 2024, there were two potty chairs observed in an open classroom without privacy, and the posted fire drill logs were from March 2024. An additional concern noted was when asked about the name of the bus driver, Staff #1 was unaware of this person s name and could not produce a staff file for this person. An additional concern noted at the visit is being provided untruthful information because Staff #1 stated they did not have access to any files within the office after being observed closing the office door. Staff #1 is the designated staff trained in day-to-day operations according to OCCL s record.”

“Provide accurate documentation of the administrator's presence and performing administrative duties at least 50% of the hours of operation. (6:00 to 6:00 x 5 M-F and 9:00 to 5:00 x 2 S-S = 76 hours/week--- 50 % = 37.5 hours /week.) The Administrator submitted a revised application with reduced hours of operation on May 14, 2024. Her documented hours are now meet the 50% requirement.”

“Submit the following to complete staff files: CPR / FA certification for three staff members; prof. dev plans for four staff members; annual review of safe sleep and child abuse /neglect for three staff members; orientation for one staff member; OCCL H&S training for one staff member; job descriptions for two staff members; signed declaration for one staff member; staff HA w/tb for one staff member; TB only for one staff member; HA for one staff member.”

“Submit documentation for the completion of annual training hours by April 30, 2024. This will become non-compliant May 1, 2024. Staff #2 needs 18 hours; Staff #3 needs 2 hours; Staff #7 needs 18 hours; Staff #11 needs 12 hours.”

“Provide documentation of administrator's addressing Staff #6's need to use respectful tones/words/language with children in her care.”

“Ensure child files are complete. Child #4 needs an updated health appraisal with immunizations. Children # 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, & 13 need developmental plans.”

“Remove Borax- hazardous material form the SA room.”

“Remove/replace the rug, label the cubbies and repair/replace the cracked tiles in the school age room.”

“Repair/preplace broken tricycles . Clean trash and remove carpets from play area.”

“Ensure ALL infants have updated infant feeding statements. Send documentation to OCCL for all enrolled infants.”

“Submit proof of current liability and vehicle insurance. Liability expires 6-26-23.”

“Discussed: The administrator of record was not present, did not file for review, nor documentation of attendance. The staff member in charge of day to day operations stated the Admin. has not been present for an undetermined amount of time due to personal issues and is uncertain of her return. A plan to document compliance with reg. #26 must be submitted by April 12, 2023.”

“Submit documentation of the applicant's re-fingerprinting which need to be completed every five years. (x3-9-23)”

“Submit the following to complete staff files: CPR/FA for 2 staff members; medication administration certification for 2 staff members; a professional dev. plan & orientation for one staff member; OCCL H&S training for 7 staff members; job descriptions for 3 staff members; release of employment/service letters for one staff member; references for 3 staff members; adult abuse check for 2 staff members; health appraisals w/ TB for 2 staff members; a full file for one staff member. A current driver's license is needed for one of the vehicle drivers. Not determined staff training hours for 2 staff members- this will become non-compliant if not received by April 30, 2023.”

“Submit the following to complete children's files: days/hours of attendance for 1 child; blood test results for 4 children.”

“Remove caulk gun and insect traps from under unlocked cabinet or lock the cabinet under the sink in the bumblebee room”

“Repair baseboards in the bumblebee classroom; Repair peeling paint on the walls in the Dragonflies room; Clean carpets and repair or replace fraying carpets in the ladybugs classroom.”

“Obtain an arm sling for the first aid kit.”

“Obtain additional emergency water.”

“Post the lesson plan in the infant room.”

“Submit a complete renewal application 60 days prior to license expiration and a 2023 DE business license.”