Find a program / Delaware / Newark / THE LITTLE CABOOSE CHILDCARE AND LEARNING CENTER
Child care center · Newark, DE
THE LITTLE CABOOSE CHILDCARE AND LEARNING CENTER
A licensed child care center in Newark, 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: 366 OLD BALTIMORE PIKE, Newark, DE 19702
Phone: (302) 737-8854
Ages served: 6 weeks through 12 years.
Age group: Infant through School-Age
Licensed capacity: 171 children
OCCL license number: 29295
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. 2025: 3 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2021: 2 facility injuries. 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)
- 2 visits where violations were cited (the state's file doesn't list visits where nothing was cited)
- 7 violations cited on these visits
- 4 complaint investigations completed (No Evidence to Substantiate: 2; Substantiated: 2)
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 6 visits with violations in the state's file (which starts November 12, 2021), newest first, with 14 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.
August 1, 2025 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by September 1, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, August 12, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #2 needs OCCL Health & Safety training. Staff #7 needs 2 references and service letter, Staff #9 needs service letter or 2 attempts, Staff #10 needs release of employment & service letter.
Administration of Medication
Regulation code 63U · Correct by September 1, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, August 12, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
The state's notes for this violation may name a person, so we don't show them here. They're in the state's published file (see Sources).
August 15, 2024 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 5 violations
Hazardous Materials
Regulation code 45U · Correct by August 16, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, August 15, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure all cabinets used to store cleaning products and hazardous materials are locked or out of reach of children.
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by August 16, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, August 15, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure all air fresheners and plug-in air fresheners are not used in the classrooms. Remove from classrooms.
Equipment
Regulation code 57U · Correct by September 13, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, August 23, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Clean pillows/covers in rooms 3 & 4, dramatic play cozy area.
Administration of Medication
Regulation code 63U · Correct by September 13, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, August 23, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure all children have current MAR forms , including rash creams and sunscreen. Send forms for rooms 3, 4, and infants.
Lesson Plans
Regulation code 74U · Correct by September 13, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, August 23, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure all lesson plans are posted & available for review.
Older than 3 years (not counted in the summary above)
August 31, 2023 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by August 31, 2023 · Correction status: Completed, August 31, 2023 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure floors, walls, and surfaces ae cleanable. Remove peeling tape from the floor in Room #4. This was corrected at the visit.
Emergency Planning
Regulation code 66U · Correct by September 15, 2023 · Correction status: Completed, September 7, 2023 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure center has an adequate emergency water supply.
August 31, 2022 · Unannounced · 2 violations
Positive Behavior Management
Regulation code 20U · Correct by September 30, 2022 · Correction status: Completed, September 22, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure that all staff use developmentally-appropriate methods of behavior management of children. Staff #1 roughly handled a child when she picked the child up by the arm. Staff #1 must complete the following three hours of professional development training which can be found on the DEPDNOW website: Positive Behavior Management. Submit documentation of completion to OCCL by September 30, 2022.
Child Accident and Injury
Regulation code 64U · Correct by August 31, 2022 · Correction status: Completed, August 31, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Telephone
The state's notes for this violation may name a person, so we don't show them here. They're in the state's published file (see Sources).
August 3, 2022 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Staff Attendance
Regulation code 36U · Correct by August 3, 2022 · Correction status: Completed, August 3, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff attendance is accurate. At the time of the visit, two staff members in room #10 were not signed into the classroom.
Children's Attendance
Regulation code 43U · Correct by August 3, 2022 · Correction status: Completed, August 3, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure children's attendance is accurate. At the time of the visit, three children left the classroom with a staff member and were not signed out.
April 20, 2022 · Unannounced · 1 violation
Positive Behavior Management
Regulation code 20U · Correct by April 20, 2022 · Correction status: Completed, April 20, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure that all staff use developmentally-appropriate methods of behavior management of children. Staff #1 admitted to striking her own child while the child was enrolled at the center and in care at the facility. This was corrected when Staff #1's employment was immediately terminated from employment and the center owner contacted the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Hotline.
Complaint investigations
All 12 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 November 10, 2026 · Result: Substantiated
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On October 2, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a self-report regarding an incident on October 1, 2026, between several children. On October 5 and 6, 2026, OCCL received three complaints regarding allegations of a lack of supervision and failing to use appropriate behavior supports. A fourth complaint was received on October 20, 2026, regarding the same allegations. An investigation began on October 6, 2026, and concluded on October 21, 2026. Based on interviews, video footage, and documents reviewed this complaint is substantiated for failing to use appropriate behavior supports. Although both staff stated they did not hear or witness a child in distress or acting inappropriately, video of the incident shows both staff in the classroom were in close proximity to where the incident was occurring but failed to intervene to stop behavior that appears to be distressing to a child. Based on interviews, video footage, and documents reviewed, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for lack of supervision. LS #1 reviewed video footage which documented two staff were in the classroom within view of the incident and the classroom was in correct staff-to-child ratio, however the staff did not intervene to stop the behavior that was happening. Therefore, there is evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to intervene quickly to ensure the safety of children and others.
Completed October 28, 2026 · Result: Substantiated
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On October 12, 2026, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding allegations of lack of supervision and improper combining of ages. An investigation was conducted on October 20, 2026. Based on interviews and documents reviewed, this complaint is substantiated for lack of supervision. Owner #1, Administrator #1, and Staff #2 all stated Staff #3 left Child #1 on the playground for 11 minutes on September 11, 2026. Documents reviewed confirmed this. Based on interviews and documents reviewed, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper combining of ages. All staff interviewed stated the youngest aged child in the closing classroom, which includes school-age children, is three years old. Attendance tracking sheets reviewed all reflected they did not improperly mix children of different ages and following correct staff-to-child-ratio.
Completed May 28, 2025 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On May 5, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding allegations of failing to notify a parent of an injury, failing to provide an injury report, failing to notify OCCL of an injury requiring medical care, and concerns of lack of supervision. An investigation began on May 7, 2025, and concluded on May 14, 2025. Based on interviews and documentation and video footage reviewed, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failing to notify a parent of an injury, failing to provide an injury report, or failing to notify OCCL of an injury requiring medical care. LS #1 reviewed video footage and did not view an instance where Child #1 appeared to have had an injury or seemed to be in distress. Child #1 was viewed on the video jumping up and down and walking out of the classroom normally at the time of pick up. LS #1 interviewed the administrator, staff, and owner; all of whom stated they did not witness or view Child #1 to be in pain or distress. On May 5, 2025, Child #1 came to the center with Parent #1 to pick up a sibling. Child #1 was wearing a medical boot on the left foot at that time, but there is no evidence this injury occurred at the child care center. When Child #1 returned to care on May 6, 2025, they were not wearing a medical boot. Based on video footage, there is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for lack of supervision as LS #1 viewed four staff members on the playground supervising children during their outdoor time.
Completed June 20, 2024 · 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).
Older than 3 years (not counted in the summary above)
Completed September 26, 2022 · Result: Substantiated
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).
Completed July 12, 2022 · Result: Substantiated
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).
Completed June 6, 2022 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On May 13, 2022, OCCL received a complaint regarding unqualified staff being left alone with children and improper staff-to-child ratios, improper discipline, and staff not being truthful. An investigation was conducted on May 18, 2022. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because all four staff who were interviewed denied ever observing staff use improper discipline with children and denied being untruthful, classrooms were observed to be in proper staff-to-child ratio, and attendance records from May 17 and May 18, 2022, show all classrooms in proper ratio.
Completed May 5, 2022 · Result: Unsubstantiated
Type (as published): IA Investigation
The state's file has no summary for this investigation.
Completed April 19, 2022 · 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).
Completed April 5, 2022 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On March 1, 2022, OCCL received a complaint regarding staff not following requirements regarding child health exclusions. An investigation was conducted on March 7, 2022. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because all four staff members who were interviewed stated children who display symptoms of illness are sent home according to the center's health exclusion policy and documentation was provided showing children who were allowed to return with doctor's notes.
Completed March 28, 2022 · 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).
Completed January 13, 2022 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
The Office of Child Care Licensing received a complaint on December 22, 2021 regarding the center possibly having a staff member who used improper discipline, staff not following notification and documentation requirements for a child injury, and failure to provide reasonable accommodations. An investigation was completed on January 4, 2022. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint based on the administrator's and staff members statements. They are not aware of any staff using improper discipline, all injuries are documented and notification is provided, and they provide reasonable accommodations for children by working with the parents and using additional staff when available to assist a child in one-on-one care.
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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.