Delaware records · Sussex County · Milford
FIRST STEPS PRESCHOOL - MILFORD, LLC
Licensed Child Care Center · Milford, Delaware
Records presented as of November 5, 2026The operation, as the state lists it
- License number
- 973652
- Operation type
- Licensed Child Care Center
- Address
- 104 MCCOY STREET, Milford, DE 19963
- Licensed capacity
- 63
- Ages served, as listed
- 6 weeks through 12 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 | 3 |
| Citations recorded | 27 |
| Citations with correction completed, per the state | 27 |
| Citations with correction still pending, per the state | 0 |
| Record span | August 1, 2022 – August 6, 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 | 8 |
| 2025 | 1 | 5 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 | 3 |
| 2022 | 3 | 9 |
Visits and investigations, newest first
8 regulations cited at this visit.
Based on daily attendance the infant classroom was out of ratio. Ensure the infant classroom maintain correct staff to child ratios at all times.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 6, 2026 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 21, 2026
Ensure staff files are complete.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 28, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 21, 2026
Ensure children files are complete.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 18, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 21, 2026
Label the cleaner bottle in the one year old classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 18, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 21, 2026
Label the contents and date of expiration for bulk snack items in containers.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 18, 2026 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 21, 2026
Replace or repair the gates on the playground to ensure they are self- closing. Replace or repair the beach fencing on the playground, slats are broken exposing sharp edges around the fence. Children were observed playing on a splash pad in the parking lot. Children are only permitted to play in licensed space, refrain from using the parking lot.
Correction status: Completed · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 21, 2026
Refrain from using the splash pad that holds water.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 6, 2026 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 21, 2026
Ensure all cribs are set to the lowest setting.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 6, 2026 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due August 21, 2026
5 regulations cited at this visit.
Staff files must be complete Staff #1 needs medication training and a health appraisal to include TB testing. Staff #2 needs seven hour OCCL Health & Safety training, Staff #3 needs medication training, seven hour OCCL Heath & Safety training, and an application for employment with First Steps
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 28, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 8, 2025
Staff members must sign in/out of their classrooms with exact hours of arrival/departure. Send one weeks attendance for each classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 19, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2025
Child files must be complete Child # 2, #5 and #6 need health appraisals Child #7 needs days and hours to attend
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 25, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2025
One child in the one year old classroom needs an MAR for sunscreen
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 5, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2025
An infant feeding schedule is needed for one infant
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 5, 2025 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 18, 2025
2 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #1 needs OCCL seven hour health and safety training. Forward certificate to OCCL.
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 23, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 15, 2024
Ensure the gates are self-closing and self latching. Repair the gate in the toddler play yard
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 17, 2024 · how corrected: Document · correction was due August 15, 2024
A complaint investigation. The state's result is shown above, and the investigator's conclusion follows.
On April 10, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing received a complaint regarding discrimination and positive behavior supports. An investigation was conducted on April 24, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate the complaint based on staff interviews and because the owner provided documentation from ProCare that shows the center reached out to the parents on several occasions when the child was having behavioral issues to try to make a plan moving forward. Additionally, the owner stated the center did not disenroll Child #1, but the child has not returned to the center.
3 regulations cited at this visit.
Staff files must be complete. Staff #3 needs CPR/1st aid, a health appraisal with TB, a service letter, medication certification and one additional reference. Staff #6 needs a service letter Staff #10 needs a service letter
Correction status: Completed · corrected October 24, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 11, 2023
Child files must be complete Child #3 needs blood lead test results Child #6 needs a health appraisal
Correction status: Completed · corrected November 7, 2023 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 11, 2023
Evacuation routes must be posted in each classroom. This was corrected at the visit when the evacuation route was posted.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 7, 2023 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due September 11, 2023
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 May 23, 2023, regarding improper discipline. An investigation was conducted on May 25, 2023. There is no evidence to substantiate the complaint because all staff interviewed denied yelling at or observing any staff yelling at the children.
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 November 4, 2022, regarding suspension/expulsion policies, staff-to-child ratios, and insect infestation. The investigation began on November 16, 2022, and ended on November 22, 2022. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because Owner Christina Allen stated the parent chose to withdraw the child from the center, the center has adequate qualified staff and staff denied observing any bug bites on the children.
1 regulation cited at this visit.
There were 13 one and two year old's napping together. Maximum capacity is 12. This was corrected when one two year old was moved to nap with the three year old's.
Correction status: Completed · corrected November 16, 2022 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due November 16, 2022
8 regulations cited at this visit.
Ensure staff-to-child ratios are maintained. School age classroom was observed with 17 children and one staff member. Ensure supervision for each classroom. Three children were observed walking out of the classroom unsupervised.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 25, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
Staff must be fingerprinted before their start date/start of employment.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 1, 2022 · how corrected: Facility Visit · correction was due September 13, 2022
Staff files must be complete Staff #7 needs a job description, a health appraisal w/TB, two additional references or a service letter Staff #9 needs proof of eligibiloity, TB results and release of employment/service letter
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 23, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
Staff must be signed into the areas w/exact hours worked and correct classroom assignment.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 15, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
Child files must be complete Child # 3,5,7 and 9 need proof of blood lead test Child#4 needs a health appraisal and immunization shot records Child #12 needs documentation of date of enrollment Medication permission is need for each child enrolled Center has sunscreen, lip balm, asthma pumps and epi pens. Obtain medication permission
Correction status: Completed · corrected September 26, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
Exact hours of arrival and departure is required for each child when not with assigned class. Two school agers were not signed into their assigned classroom.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 15, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
Fencing does not meet OCCL requirements. Ensure the gates are self closing
Correction status: Completed · corrected October 19, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
Ensure monthly evacuation and fire prevention is carried out and documented.
Correction status: Completed · corrected August 23, 2022 · how corrected: Document · correction was due September 13, 2022
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