Delaware records · Sussex County · Seaford
LITTLE SPROUTS LEARNING ACADEMY
Licensed Child Care Center · Seaford, Delaware
Records presented as of November 5, 2026The operation, as the state lists it
- License number
- 1196173
- Operation type
- Licensed Child Care Center
- Address
- 126 N SHIPLEY ST, Seaford, DE 19973
- Licensed capacity
- 132
- Ages served, as listed
- 6 weeks through 12 years.
- Hours, as listed
- 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- State programs listed
- Child Care Food Program;Purchase of Care
The record in numbers
| Compliance visits | 4 |
| Complaint investigations | 6 |
| Citations recorded | 24 |
| Citations with correction completed, per the state | 24 |
| Citations with correction still pending, per the state | 0 |
| Record span | December 6, 2022 – December 4, 2025 |
How to read this record
A compliance visit is a licensing visit by an OCCL specialist. When the specialist finds a regulation has not been met, the visit record carries a citation: the regulation's code and short description, the specialist's corrective-action note describing what was found, and the correction record — the date correction was due, whether the state has marked it completed, the date it was corrected, and how. A complaint investigation begins with a complaint; its record carries the state's result and the investigator's written conclusion. Delaware does not grade citations by risk or severity, so no grade is shown — the specialist's note is the substance of the record. One visit can produce several citations. A citation the state later records as corrected stays in the history; that is what a licensing record is.
Record by year
| Year | Visits & investigations | Citations recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 7 |
| 2024 | 2 | 5 |
| 2023 | 3 | 7 |
| 2022 | 1 | 5 |
Visits and investigations, newest first
7 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff person needs an updated health appraisal indicating if they can care for children. One staff person needs one more more reference.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due December 19, 2025
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs an updated health appraisal.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due December 19, 2025
Ensure routine cleaners are locked-up or inaccessible to children. This was corrected at the visit when a safety lock was added to the cabinet containing cleaning materials in the upstairs bathroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 4, 2025 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due December 4, 2025
Ensure walls are in good repair. Repair wallpaper under window in the Turtles classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 2, 2026
Ensure food storage areas are clean. Clean spilled substance inside freezer in kitchen. Ensure freezers maintain a temperature of 0 degrees F or below. Adjust freezer temperature in Young Infant classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due December 19, 2025
Ensure gates in the outdoor play area are self-latching. This was corrected at the visit when the gate in the infant play area was repaired to ensure it self-latches. Ensure appropriate fall zone depth is maintained. Replenish mulch to nine inches in all fall zones in the grassy playground area.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 2, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 2, 2026
Ensure each classroom's activity schedule is posted and visible. This was corrected at the visit when a daily schedule was posted in the the Frogs room and the schedule was moved to a visible location in the Flamingos classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 4, 2025 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due December 4, 2025
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On October 16, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding not having a qualified administrator and not being respectful. An investigation was conducted on October 16, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because all staff interviewed stated Staff #1 does not talk down to staff nor is he/she rude to them. Additionally, all staff interviewed stated Administrator #1 is on site every day and runs the center.
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On September 10, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper cleaning and improper staff-to-child ratio. An investigation was conducted on September 11, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because all staff interviewed stated the center and classrooms are cleaned according to the regulations. LS #1 observed the one-year-old classroom, and its cleanliness was satisfactory. According to Owner #1, a stained rug was removed, and a new one was purchased. Additionally, sanitizer could be smelled. Lastly, according to attendance records reviewed for several days, the one-year-old classroom was following proper staff-to-child ratio
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
OCCL s investigation of regulatory non-compliance began after clearance from other agencies was received. On February 3, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper discipline, accident/injury procedures, and not following their procedures used to assess children s accomplishments and needs, and when there are concerns, to refer the parent or guardian for additional help in the community. An investigation was conducted on February 20, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation of improper discipline because all staff interviewed stated they have never hit a child, thrown a child against a wall, or thrown objects at children, nor have they seen any other staff doing so. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the center is not following proper accident or injury procedures, because all staff interviewed stated if an injury occurs, they provide whatever first aid is needed, contact the administrator, separate children and talk to them if the incident was precipitated by a behavior, and complete the accident/injury report. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the center is not making appropriate referrals for suspected delays or behavioral challenges. All staff interviewed stated referrals are made appropriately. Administrator #2 further explained the process of referrals and noted parents or guardians often decline further services. Administrator #2 stated there are therapists currently working with children in the center. This statement was confirmed by the communication notebooks at the center where therapists and the parents/guardians of the children they work with can communicate back and forth. Current entries in these notebooks were observed.
5 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff person needs to complete CPR training with a hands-on skills demonstration.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 25, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 4, 2025
Ensure refrigerator in the koala's classroom maintains a temperature of 41 degrees F or below.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 2, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 4, 2025
Ensure gates in the fenced outdoor play area are self-closing and self-latching. Repair gate leading into the grassy play area. This was corrected at the visit when the gate was repaired and observed self-closing and self-latching.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due January 4, 2025
Ensure a diaper changing mat and disposable cover are available for pull-up changes in the children's bathroom. This was corrected at the visit when a mat and disposable covers were placed in the bathroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due January 4, 2025
Ensure emergency water is available at all times. This was corrected at the visit when water was purchased and placed in storage.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 11, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due January 4, 2025
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On January 26, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing received a complaint regarding lack of notification to the parent/guardian in the event of an accident or injury to a child and not handling a biting behavior appropriately. An investigation was conducted on January 30, 2024. The complaint is substantiated because one accident/injury report was unable to be located for an injury occurring on January 24, 2024, and another accident/injury report from January 26, 2024, was missing notification to the parent/guardian at the end of the day and the signature of the parent/guardian.
7 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff person needs a health appraisal on OCCL's form, a release of employment history, and a service letter attempt with a follow-up if one service letter is not received from any prior employers.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 18, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 5, 2024
Ensure indoor space is in good repair. The baseboard trim in the pink bathroom needs to be repaired. Ensure child cubbies in the Pandas classroom are labeled with the child's name. Ensure the trash can in the Cheetah's bathroom has a lid.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 4, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 5, 2024
Ensure gates in the outdoor playground are self-closing and self-latching. The large gate and the gate leading into the larger play area need to be repaired so they self-close and self-latch.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 4, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 5, 2024
Ensure nap mats are cleanable and non-absorbent. LS Brey observed ripped nap mats in the Giraffe and Frogs classrooms. This was corrected at the visit when the ripped mats were replaced with new ones.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 13, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due January 5, 2024
Ensure lesson plans include physical social-emotional, language/literacy, and cognitive activities daily.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 4, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 5, 2024
Ensure language and literacy materials are available in each classroom. Add these materials to the Flamingo classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 4, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 5, 2024
Ensure a daily schedule is posted in each classroom. Post a daily schedule in the Giraffe's classroom. This was corrected at the visit when the scheduled was posted on the wall.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 13, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due January 5, 2024
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
The Office of Child Care Licensing received a complaint on October 9, 2023, regarding accident/injury procedures. An investigation was conducted on October 17, 2023. The complaint is substantiated because two of the nine accident/injury reports reviewed were incomplete.
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On June 5, 2023, a complaint was called into the Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line and not accepted for investigation by the Institutional Abuse Unit (IAU). The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received the complaint on June 6, 2023, and accepted it for investigation regarding a staff member not following positive behavior supports and an unqualified staff member being left alone with children. An investigation was conducted on June 8, 2023. This complaint is substantiated for a staff member not following positive behavior supports because all staff interviewed confirmed a staff member yelled at children in her classroom and used an inappropriate tone. All staff interviewed denied the allegation of Staff #1 putting her hands on the children. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation about an unqualified staff member being left alone with children because the name of the staff member that the Reporter provided was a nickname. The licensing specialist confirmed the staff member s legal name and verified she is qualified to be alone with children.
5 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure child files are complete. Child #3 needs a parent right to know form. Child #12 needs lead test results.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 6, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 13, 2023
Ensure air vents are clean and free of dust. Clean all air vents.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 6, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 13, 2023
Ensure diaper changing procedures are followed and posted. LS Smith observed staff not washing the childrens hands after each diaper change, and disinfecting the changing table after each use.
Correction status: Completed · corrected December 20, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 13, 2023
Ensure any medication applied to children has a signed MAR form. LS Smith observed diaper creams for for children, and staff disclosed they did not have a signed MAR. This was discussed with the staff.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 6, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 13, 2023
Ensure lesson plans are completed and posted. The Frog classroom did not have a completed lesson plan posted.
Correction status: Completed · corrected January 6, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due January 13, 2023
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