Delaware records · New Castle County · Wilmington
LJ'S PLAYPEN ACADEMY
Licensed Child Care Center · Wilmington, Delaware
Records presented as of November 5, 2026The operation, as the state lists it
- License number
- 641907
- Operation type
- Licensed Child Care Center
- Address
- 2601 CARTER STREET, Wilmington, DE 19802
- Licensed capacity
- 115
- Ages served, as listed
- 6 weeks through 12 years.
- Hours, as listed
- 6:30 AM – 11:00 PM
- State programs listed
- Child Care Food Program;Purchase of Care
Licensing notices on the state's current record
- Recorded intent
- Intent to Revoke
These are the state's own current words for this license, republished as recorded. What each action involves is set out in Delaware's child care licensing regulations.
The record in numbers
| Compliance visits | 2 |
| Complaint investigations | 1 |
| Citations recorded | 30 |
| Citations with correction completed, per the state | 30 |
| Citations with correction still pending, per the state | 0 |
| Record span | February 14, 2023 – July 15, 2024 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 19 |
| 2023 | 1 | 11 |
Visits and investigations, newest first
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on June 21, 2024, regarding concerns of an ant infestation, improper staff-to-child ratios, and unqualified staff members working alone with children. An investigation began on June 26, 2024, and concluded on July 7, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for an ant infestation based on observation of the center. There were a few ants observed throughout six areas of the center, but not enough to be considered an infestation. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper staff-to-child ratios or unqualified staff members working alone with children based on observation of the classrooms and observation of attendance records for the week of July 1, 2024. All classrooms were within staff-to-child ratio at this visit. An additional concern noted at this visit was inaccurate staff attendance records. At the time of this visit, all attendance records were stapled together and being held in the office, and staff members were not signed into their respective classrooms.
19 regulations cited at this visit.
The one's teacher does not have a DEEDS certificate and was alone with 2 children. the two's and three's teachers do not have a DEEDS certificate and had 6 children. Have Staff #1, 2, and 3 apply for their DEEDS certificates and send a picture of application submission to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 6, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 1, 2024
Ensure there is one staff member trained in day to day operations and send documentation to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 29, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure proper ratio's and supervision are maintained. The one's teacher does not have a DEEDS certificate and was alone with 2 children. The two's and three's teachers do not have a DEEDS certificate and had 6 children. Have Staff #1, 2, and 3 apply for their DEEDS certificates and send a picture of application submission to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 6, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 1, 2024
Ensure staff are fingerprinted and determined eligible before start of employment. Staff #7 and 8 started employment without being determined eligible by the Criminal History Unit. Review regulation 28 and send a signed acknowledgement of this regulation to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 29, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 1, 2024
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #2 needs annual review of safe sleep and OCCL's Health and Safety Training. Staff #3 needs a professional development plan, orientation form, and 4 references and a returned service letter or 2 documented attempts at sending the service letter. Staff #4 and 5 need a professional development plan. Staff #6 needs a professional development plan, review of safe sleep, OCCL Health and Safety training, job description, release of employment and service letter or 2 documented attempts. Staff #7 needs an attempted service letter or 2 documented attempts.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 21, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure staff sign in/out is accurately documented in each classroom. Staff do not sign in/out for each classroom as there is only a building attendance sheet. Submit documentation showing staff signing in and out of each classroom to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure child files are complete. Submit date of enrollment/hours and days of attendance for Children #2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Submit health appraisal for Child #3, along with immunizations and their blood lead screening. Submit blood lead screening for Child #7. Submit infant feeding schedule for Children #2, 4, and 5. Submit developmental plans for Children 1-7.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 20, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure accurate attendance is being maintained. The infant room did not have a sign-in/out sheet. There were 4 children signed in the ones room, but only 2 children were present. One child was removed and not signed out. The two's room had 7 children signed in and 6 children were present. The fours room had 6 children signed in and 5 children present. Send 2 weeks attendance for all classrooms to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure hazardous materials are stored inaccessible to children. The ones/infant classroom had ant/mice poison traps in the cabinet, which was not locked. There was bug spray in the hallway of the ones classroom. Take a picture of hazards stored and locked away to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure the heating system is properly installed. The movie room downstairs reads 59 degrees, and the library/fours room reads 62 degrees. Send a picture of thermometer showing appropriate temperature to OCCL. Ensure there are no floor heaters available. There was one floor heater in the fours room. Send a picture of heater removed from the classroom to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 6, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 1, 2024
Replace ceiling tiles and wooden table in the library and send a picture to OCCL. Place lid on trashcan in the library and send to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure all open foods are labeled. The mixed fruit in the kitchen was open and not labeled. Send a picture of labeled fruit to OCCL. Ensure food/milk is not expired. The kitchen had a couple of expired cans of fruit and milk. Send picture of food/milk with up to date expirations.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 21, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Fix faucet in the children's bathroom and send a video of running water to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure there are no hazards outside. Remove all broken equipment on both sides of the playground, fix cracked slide, and remove all standing water. Send a picture of outdoor area to OCCL with corrections.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 15, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure there are science and music materials in the infant and ones room. Send a picture of materials to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure diaper changing mat is not ripped. The mat in the one year old room is ripped. Replace mats and send a picture to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 15, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure all infant bottles are labeled. Ensure all infants have an infant feeding schedule.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 6, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 1, 2024
Ensure school-age room has a calendar of activities or a lesson plan. Send a picture of calendar to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 11, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 20, 2024
Ensure all infants have a daily log documenting sleep checks, feeding, and diapering. Ensure there is adult seating in the infant room.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 6, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 1, 2024
11 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff/child ratios are being maintained. Staff #12 did not have an eligibility letter on file and was alone with children. This was corrected a the visit when Administrator Mathis placed a copy of Staff #12 s ineligibility letter in the file, and LS Hackett reminded Administrator Mathis that Staff #12 cannot be alone with children.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure staff have eligibility determination or a provisional eligibility notification on file. This was corrected at the visit when Staff #12 s ineligibility letter was placed in the file.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #3, 9 and 4 need a copy of their fingerprinting receipt in file. Staff #10 need their health and safety training. Staff #11 and 12 need 2 documented attempts at sending service letters. Ensure Staff #1, 5, 7, 8, and 13 are re-fingerprinted as soon as possible. Fingerprnts will expire before license expiration. Send Out-Of-State background check for Staff #6 to CHU.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 31, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 14, 2023
Submit parents right-to-know log. This was corrected at the visit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure child files are complete. Children #1,3,4,9, and 11 need developmental plans. Children #4, 9, and 11 need blood lead results. Child #3 needs an infant feeding schedule, Child #11 needs transportation and screen time permissions, Children #5 and 9 need an undated immunization record and health appraisal. Child #11 needs emergency card information, days/hours of attendance, and date of enrollment.
Correction status: Completed · corrected March 21, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due March 14, 2023
Ensure there are no space heaters. One space heater was observed in the infant room. This was corrected at the visit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure all ceilings are in good repair in the theater, infant, ones', and twos' rooms. This was corrected at the visit. Ensure the kitchen ceiling is repaired.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 22, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 24, 2023
Ensure all rest equipment is labeled in the infant, ones, twos, and three's room. This was corrected at the visit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure all diaper changing mats are non-porous. This was corrected at the visit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure all bottles are labeled. This was corrected at the visit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due February 14, 2023
Ensure the walkers in use do not have wheels. This was corrected at the visit.
Correction status: Completed · corrected February 14, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due February 14, 2023
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