Delaware records · Kent County · Dover
TENDER HEARTS LEARNING CENTER
Licensed Child Care Center · Dover, Delaware
Records presented as of November 5, 2026The operation, as the state lists it
- License number
- 491838
- Operation type
- Licensed Child Care Center
- Address
- 1339 SOUTH GOVERNORS AVENUE, Dover, DE 19904
- Licensed capacity
- 97
- Ages served, as listed
- 1 year through 10 years.
- Hours, as listed
- 6:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- State programs listed
- Child Care Food Program;Purchase of Care
The record in numbers
| Compliance visits | 6 |
| Complaint investigations | 2 |
| Citations recorded | 22 |
| Citations with correction completed, per the state | 22 |
| Citations with correction still pending, per the state | 0 |
| Record span | September 16, 2022 – August 13, 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 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 | 7 |
| 2023 | 2 | 11 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 |
Visits and investigations, newest first
2 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff needs letter of eligibility
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 30, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 31, 2026
Ensure fall zones have at least 9 inches of material. Playgrounds need mulch replenished. Ensure gates are self-closing/ self-latching. Gate exiting the playground has broke latch.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 14, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 31, 2026
2 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs blood lead screening and an MAR on file.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 23, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 20, 2025
Ensure fall zones extend at least six feet in all directions and has at least nine inches deep of material. The two year old and preschool playgrounds need mulch.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 23, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 20, 2025
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On March 14, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper staff-to-child ratio. An investigation was conducted on March 17, 2025. This complaint is substantiated for improper staff-to-child ratio because according to attendance records, the one/two-year-old classroom was over ratio on March 10, 2025 with up to nine children, the youngest being an infant, with two unqualified staff from 9:06 am until 2:44 pm; on March 11, 2025, with up to ten children, the youngest being an infant, with two unqualified staff from 8:46 am until 3:40 pm; and on March 12, 2025, with up to ten children, the youngest being an infant, with two unqualified staff from 8:46 am until 3:40 pm. A concern noted was staff stated a child under the age of one, who cannot walk, was sleeping on a cot and not in a crib or pack-n-play.
2 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff to child ratios and supervision is maintained at all times. Specialist noted two teachers and one aide supervising three classrooms during naptime.
Correction status: Completed · correction was due September 6, 2024
Ensure each staff member supervising children have been fingerprinted and deemed eligible before being left alone with children. Specialist noted an aide watching a classroom of children.
Correction status: Completed · correction was due September 6, 2024
5 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure interns under the age of 18 are supervised at all times. Specialist noted two underage interns with 10 children on the playground. This was discussed and corrected at the visit when a ECT arrived to the classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 28, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 28, 2024
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff needs 2 training hours in Health and Safety. One staff needs an adult health appraisal with TB on OCCL's form.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 17, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2024
Ensure child files are complete. Two children need blood lead screenings.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 17, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2024
Ensure air fresheners are not used during child care hours. This was discussed and corrected at visit when the provider took down the air freshener in the lobby area.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 28, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 28, 2024
Ensure all food in the kitchen is labeled with the contents and expiration dates.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 10, 2024 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due September 13, 2024
6 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure a teacher or higher is trained in the absence of the administrator and documented in the staff members file.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure a comprehensive background check is completed every five years. Three staff need to complete a five year comprehensive background check.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure staff files are complete. Two staff need job descriptions, one staff needs four reference letters, nine staff need a letter of eligibility on file.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure enough equipment is available at all times the three-year-old classroom needs music equipment.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 4, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure a non-porous surface is used. the one and two year old classroom need changing pads. Ensure diapers are disposed of in a foot activated pail for diapers only.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 4, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure a schedule is posted. The Pre-K classroom had no schedule posted.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
5 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs a blood lead screening test. One child needs a complete file.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure all trash cans have lids on them at all times. LS observed the Pre-K classroom a lid off a trash can that had food waste and other trash items in it. The bathroom has a trash can with out a lid. Ensure the classroom walls are in good repair. the one and two year old classrooms need paint applied in various areas of the room.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 4, 2023
Ensure the refrigerator and freezer maintain proper temperatures. A freezer thermometer read 10 degrees Fahrenheit. A refrigerator read 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure fall zones are nine inches in depth for wood chips.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
Ensure the lesson plan must include at least one daily activity for physical, social-emotional, language and literacy, and cognitive development. Allow children to choose to participate with the whole group, part of the group, or independently must be included. Cooking, food exploration, or healthy habits, such as talking about healthy habits or comparing the taste and texture of different foods; science and nature investigation, music and rhythm, multi-sensory play.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 5, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2023
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On September 7, 2022, OCCL received a complaint regarding staff being truthful, confidentiality, and not following the handbook policies. An investigation was conducted on September 16, 2022. There is no evidence to substantiate the complaint, because during the investigation Staff #2 and Ms. Farlow provided the same information, all staff interviewed denied revealing confidential information, and the center followed their handbook by setting up a conference to discuss the complaint with the parent.
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