State of Regulations for Child Care Centers in Delaware Weakness
Strength ✔✔ All child care programs are required to be licensed.
✗✗ Child care centers are inspected only once a year.
✔✔ C hild care licensing staff are required to have a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field.
✗✗ Child care licensing inspectors have an average caseload of 149 programs.
✔✔ C enter staff are required to have orientation, fire safety and other health and safety training.
✗✗ Reports of routine inspections conducted at child care programs and reports of those conducted because of complaints are not available online.
✔✔ C enters are required to have at least one first-aid and CPR certified staff on the premises.
✗✗ Requires center directors to only have an Associate’s degree.
✔✔ R equires all center staff to undergo a background check that includes a check of state and federal criminal history records using a fingerprint, and checks of child abuse and neglect registries. Sex offender registries are not explicitly included in the checks.
✗✗ Lead teachers in centers are only required to have a high school diploma or GED, 120 hours of training and experience before working with children.
✗✗ Meets NAEYC’s ratio and group size requirements for only
✔✔ R equires program activities to address all six developmental domains (social, physical, language/literacy, cognitive/ intellectual, emotional and cultural).
two of seven age groups (6 and 9 months). Does not meet ratio and group size requirements for 18 and 27-month and 3, 4 and 5-year-olds.
✔✔ H ealth and safety standards address all 10 basic standards (immunizations, guidance/discipline, diapering/handwashing, fire drills, medicine administration, incident reporting, hazardous materials, playground surfaces under outdoor equipment, emergency preparedness and placing infants on back). ✔✔ H as requirements regarding parent involvement and communication, and allows parental visits.
Recommendations ■■ Increase the frequency of licensing inspections. ■■ Conduct unannounced routine inspections. ■■ E stablish a requirement for a specific number of orientation training hours. ■■ C heck the state sex offender registry as part of the background check on center staff. ■■ M ake inspection and complaint reports available online for review by parents. ■■ Reduce the caseload for licensing inspectors.
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