Delaware records · Kent County · Camden
THE NEXT STEP LEARNING CENTER AT CAMDEN
Licensed Child Care Center · Camden, Delaware
Records presented as of November 5, 2026The operation, as the state lists it
- License number
- 1559979
- Operation type
- Licensed Child Care Center
- Address
- 3377 S DUPONT HWY, Camden, DE 19934
- Licensed capacity
- 75
- Ages served, as listed
- 6 weeks through 5 years.
- Hours, as listed
- 6:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- State programs listed
- Purchase of Care
The record in numbers
| Compliance visits | 5 |
| Complaint investigations | 4 |
| Citations recorded | 11 |
| Citations with correction completed, per the state | 11 |
| Citations with correction still pending, per the state | 0 |
| Record span | July 2, 2024 – April 9, 2026 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 | 6 |
Visits and investigations, newest first
3 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff member needs a complete adult health appraisal.
Correction status: Completed · corrected April 13, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due April 23, 2026
Ensure the gates to the outdoor play area are not locked during child care hours and are self-closing and self-latching. The gate in the garden area was observed locked. The gate closest to the parking lot was not self-closing.
Correction status: Completed · corrected April 13, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due April 23, 2026
Ensure written parent permission is obtained using a Medication Administration Record (MAR) for each medication. One child needs a MAR for an epi-pen. One child needs a MAR for sunscreen.
Correction status: Completed · corrected April 13, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due April 23, 2026
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On March 26, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper staff-to-child ratios. An investigation was conducted on April 2, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate for improper staff-to-child ratio because attendance records and video footage for March 26, 2025, showed the opening classroom and the one-year-old classroom were following proper staff-to-child ratio. Additionally, all classrooms were observed following proper-staff-to-child ratio during the complaint investigation.
2 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff member needs administration of medication training and/or certification, orientation, OCCL's Health and Safety Training for Child Care Professionals, and two references.
Correction status: Completed · corrected May 8, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due April 30, 2025
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs an updated health appraisal. Two children need completed Medication Administration Records (MAR) for diaper cream.
Correction status: Completed · corrected April 17, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due April 30, 2025
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On December 6, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding administration of medication procedures. An investigation was conducted on December 11, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because staff denied the allegation, and LS #1 observed a written Medication Administration Record (MAR) for Child #1 s prescription cream.
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On November 18, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding accident/injury procedures. An investigation was conducted on November 20, 2024. The complaint is substantiated for accident/injury procedures because Administrator #1 stated Child #1 received the injury to his eye at approximately 9:30 am and she did not notify Parent #1 until 1:26 pm via the ProCare app.
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On October 17, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding possible improper discipline. An investigation was conducted on October 18, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because staff denied the allegations.
1 regulation cited at this visit.
Ensure maximum group size is maintained at all times. A group of 13 one and two year olds were observed with two staff members. This was corrected when a third staff member arrived and took the two year olds to the two-year-old classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 26, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due September 26, 2024
3 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff-to-child ratios are maintained through qualified staff. A staff member, who does not have eligibility determination was observed with a group of four one year olds. This was corrected when a qualified staff member entered the classroom and the staff member left. A second staff member, an intern with provisional eligibility was observed alone with two infants. This was corrected when a qualified staff member entered the classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 19, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due September 19, 2024
Ensure staff complete a comprehensive background check and eligibility determination or provisional eligibility notification on file. A staff member, who does not have eligibility determination was observed with a group of four one year olds. This was corrected when a qualified staff member entered the classroom and the staff member left. A second staff member, with provisional eligibility was observed alone with two infants. This was corrected when a qualified staff member entered the classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 19, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due September 19, 2024
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff member needs two references and an eligibility letter. One staff member needs two references. One staff member needs a service letter from Beach Babies or two additional references. One staff member needs two references, an eligibility letter, and a health appraisal.
Correction status: Completed · corrected October 10, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due October 3, 2024
2 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff needed an eligibility letter and one staff needed one service letter.
Correction status: Completed · corrected July 17, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due July 19, 2024
Ensure lesson plans for children two and older have the required once-a-week components. Two lesson plans were missing them.
Correction status: Completed · corrected July 17, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due July 19, 2024
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