Find a program / Delaware / Laurel / DISCOVERY COVE LEARNING CENTER
Child care center · Laurel, DE
DISCOVERY COVE LEARNING CENTER
A licensed child care center in Laurel, Delaware, with its state inspection and complaint history from the Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL).
Program details
Program type: Licensed child care center
Address: 12034 COUNTY SEAT HWY, Laurel, DE 19956
Phone: (302) 875-7733
Ages served: 1 year through 12 years.
Age group: Toddler through School-Age
Licensed capacity: 53 children
OCCL license number: 1210735
Current enforcement action (as published): none listed in the state's file
Injuries reported to the state (as published): the state's file lists injuries in the last 5 years that needed medical or dental treatment. 2022: 2 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2021: 1 facility injury. No facility deaths reported.
View the official record on Delaware's child care search (search for the program's name).
Inspection history
Last 3 years (November 12, 2023 to November 12, 2026, when the state's files were last updated)
- 3 visits where violations were cited (the state's file doesn't list visits where nothing was cited)
- 9 violations cited on these visits
- 6 complaint investigations completed (No Evidence to Substantiate: 3; Substantiated: 3)
A violation means a licensing specialist found that a Delaware licensing rule wasn't met. The state gives the program a date to correct each one and records when it was corrected. Complaint results use the state's own terms, as published. Read the official record for details.
Visits with violations
All 4 visits with violations in the state's file (which starts November 12, 2021), newest first, with 11 violations in all. The state's file lists only visits where a rule was cited, so visits where nothing was cited are not shown. Each violation shows the state's short title for the rule, its regulation code, the date the state set for the fix and the correction status as published.
June 9, 2026 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 6 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by July 3, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, June 12, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. Two staff need two attempts to obtain service letters.
Child Files
Regulation code 40U · Correct by June 9, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, June 9, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs a corrected Medication Administration Record (MAR). This was corrected at the visit when the missing information was added.
Hazardous Materials
Regulation code 45U · Correct by July 10, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, July 2, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure radon testing is conducted every five years. Complete testing in each classroom.
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by July 3, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, July 13, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure walls are in good repair. Patch and repair corner of wall in the pre-k classroom.
Outdoor Area
Regulation code 53U · Correct by July 10, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, July 21, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure exit gate in the outdoor play area is self-closing and self-latching. Repair gate at sidewalk in rear of building . Ensure fall zone depth requirements are met. Replenish mulch to nine inches in rear play area.
Activity Areas
Regulation code 75U · Correct by June 9, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, June 9, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure art materials are always accessible in the classroom for ages two years and older. This was corrected at the visit when the art materials in the two-year-old classroom were made available.
June 9, 2025 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 1 violation
Outdoor Area
Regulation code 53U · Correct by July 11, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, June 23, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure gates in the outdoor play area fencing is self-closing and self-latching. Repair main gate off parking lot.
June 18, 2024 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by July 5, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, June 24, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff person needs two references.
Outdoor Area
Regulation code 53U · Correct by July 12, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, July 17, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure outdoor area has enough mulch to cover fall zones. Replenish mulch to 9 inches. Ensure gates are self-closing and self-latching. There is a broken gate in the toddler area, a broken gate leading from parking lot into play area, and the main gate from the building does not self-close or self-latch. Fix sharp edge on parking lot gate, Remove broken picnic table to ensure all equipment is in a safe condition.
Older than 3 years (not counted in the summary above)
June 21, 2023 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by July 17, 2023 · Correction status: Completed, June 29, 2023 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff member needs an adult health appraisal on OCCL's form.
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by July 17, 2023 · Correction status: Completed, June 29, 2023 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure walls are in good repair. The School Age classroom needs the wall paint retouched.
Complaint investigations
All 6 complaint investigations in the state's file (which starts November 29, 2021), newest first, with the result and the state's summary as published. In the state's summaries, "IA" is the state's Institutional Abuse Unit.
Completed July 28, 2026 · Result: Substantiated
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On June 23, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding mixing children of various ages in classrooms, suspension policy, and not meeting the child's needs. An investigation was conducted on June 30, 2026. This complaint is substantiated for mixing children of various ages in classrooms, because according to staff interviews and attendance records, Child #1, a two-year-old, was moved into the three-year-old classroom on June 22, 2026, and stayed for lunch and nap. Owner #1 stated Child #1's behavior was so out of control, the decision was made to protect the younger children. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the center violated their suspension policy, because the parent handbook states, The following are reasons we may have to expel or suspend a child: 1. the child is at risk of causing serious injury to other children or him/herself,. Staff interviewed and documentation reviewed show Child #1 was causing injury to other children and staff. There is no evidence to substantiate the allegation the center was not meeting Child #1's needs, leaving him/her with a snotty nose and in soiled pants. According to staff interviewed, they perform diaper checks and changes appropriately. Staff stated there is always extra clothing on hand in case a child's own clothing is soiled, and they ensure they wipe runny noses, as needed.
Completed February 19, 2026 · Result: Substantiated
Type (as published): IA Investigation
The state's file has no summary for this investigation.
Completed October 29, 2025 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On October 16, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding cleanliness and not using serve ware appropriate to the child's age. An investigation was conducted on October 16, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because upon entering the center and while walking around, the center was found to be satisfactory in its cleanliness and there was no odor other than the smell of a bleach solution while staff cleaned. Staff interviewed stated breakfast was pre-packaged and served on a napkin. Staff #1 also stated he/she did not observe a child returning to the table to take a bite of food before he/she had a chance to clean breakfast up. LS #1 also observed boxes of food service supplies such as plates, napkins, and cups in the kitchen.
Completed August 5, 2025 · Result: Substantiated
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
OCCL's investigation of regulatory non-compliance began after clearance from other agencies was received. On March 6, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper discipline. An investigation began on March 5, 2025, and concluded on July 14, 2025. This complaint is substantiated because three different videos reviewed showed Staff #1 engaging in various forms of improper discipline, including roughly handling Child #1 by pulling them, pushing them into a chair and against a table, and restraining them.
Completed July 1, 2025 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On June 11, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding accident/injury procedures. An investigation was conducted on June 18, 2025. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because staff interviewed stated they were not aware of injuries occurring to a one-year-old like the ones described. Upon review of Child #1's file, there were accident/injury reports completed, but none for the alleged injury. Two additional child files were reviewed, each containing accident/injury reports. Lastly, according to Staff #1 and Administrator #1, the other staff person in the one-year-old classroom at the time of the alleged injury is no longer employed at the center so obtaining additional information is not possible.
Completed July 1, 2025 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary of this complaint may name a person, so we don't show it here. It's in the state's published file (see Sources).
Is this your program?
Claiming is free. We'll fix any mistakes we made and send you a badge for your website that links to this listing. Claiming does not change the state's inspection record; to correct it, contact the Office of Child Care Licensing. Claim this program
More programs in Laurel · Delaware child care rules
Sources
- Licensed Child Care Providers and Facilities: program details, enforcement action and injuries report.
- Child Care Licensing Compliance Review Information: visits, violations, corrections and specialist notes.
- Child Care Licensing Complaint Reviews: complaint investigations, results and summaries.
All three are published by the Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing on data.delaware.gov as Public Domain and cover about the last five years. State files updated November 12, 2026. We show the state's text as published. Program details last checked October 21, 2026.