Find a program / Delaware / Newark / ONE STEP AHEAD CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL INC.
Child care center · Newark, DE
ONE STEP AHEAD CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL INC.
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: 432 SALEM CHURCH ROAD, Newark, DE 19702
Phone: (302) 292-1162
Ages served: 2 years through 12 years.
Age group: Toddler through School-Age
Licensed capacity: 84 children
OCCL license number: 396672
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. 2023: 1 facility injury. No facility deaths reported. 2022: 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)
- 3 visits where violations were cited (the state's file doesn't list visits where nothing was cited)
- 11 violations cited on these visits
- 1 complaint investigation completed (No Evidence to Substantiate: 1)
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 13 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.
December 15, 2025 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 3 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by January 15, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, February 19, 2026 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #1: 8.5 training hours (ND) Staff #2: 8.5 training hours (ND) Staff #3: 8.5 training hours (ND), annual review of abuse and neglect Staff #4: 15.5 training hours (ND) Staff #5: CPR/FA (ND), Administration of Medication, Health/Safety training, adult health appraisal with TB, 6 training hours (ND) Staff #6: Health/Safety training, 1 more reference Staff #7: CPR/FA (ND), 1 more reference All training hours are not determined and are due on 12/31/2025. CPR/FA is not determined for Staff #5 and 7 because the appointment was scheduled for 12/16/2025. CPR/FA cards will be sent once completed.
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by January 15, 2026 · Correction status: Completed, December 15, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Facility Visit
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure all outlets are covered. This was corrected at the visit.
License Renewal
Regulation code 8U · Correct by December 31, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, December 24, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Submit renewal application by 12/31/2025.
December 17, 2024 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 6 violations
Insurance Coverage
Regulation code 16U · Correct by January 17, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, January 20, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Submit liability insurance to OCCL.
Staff Qualifications
Regulation code 24U · Correct by December 20, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, December 20, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure there is sufficient staffing to prepare meals, facilitate nap time, and transitions. Upon arrival, there were 2 teachers and 12 children. 3 toddlers with 1 teacher, and 9 preschoolers with the Administrator. There was no one to answer the door or answer phone calls. Send in a staffing plan that shows the days/times for all staff, identify who makes meals and what time, who is covering for nap, who is assigned to each classroom, etc. to OCCL.
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by January 17, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, January 16, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #1 and 2 need CPR/FA certification, and Staff #2 needs 2 documented attempts of sending their service letter.
Hazardous Materials
Regulation code 45U · Correct by January 17, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, January 16, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Submit Radon results.
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by January 17, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, January 16, 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).
Toilet Facilities
Regulation code 51U · Correct by January 17, 2025 · Correction status: Completed, January 16, 2025 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Repair sink handle in the 1st floor bathroom and send a video to OCCL.
December 19, 2023 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by January 19, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, January 5, 2024 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. Submit Health and Safety training for Staff #2 and #4.
Indoor Space
Regulation code 49U · Correct by January 19, 2024 · Correction status: Completed, December 29, 2023 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure the three's bathroom and the Pre-K bathroom have trashcans with lids. Send a picture of covered trashcans to OCCL.
Older than 3 years (not counted in the summary above)
December 7, 2022 · Unannounced Full Compliance Review · 2 violations
Personnel Files
Regulation code 30U · Correct by January 6, 2023 · Correction status: Completed, December 14, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #1 needs two hours in health and safety. Send student transcript to OCCL.
Child Files
Regulation code 40U · Correct by January 6, 2023 · Correction status: Completed, December 22, 2022 · How the correction was shown (as published): Document
Licensing specialist's notes (as published)
Ensure child files are complete. Child #2 needs a note from their parent stating their religious exemption. Ensure statement is notarized. Child #12 needs an updated health appraisal. Send forms to OCCL.
Complaint investigations
All 2 complaint investigations in the state's file (which starts November 29, 2021), newest first, with the result and the state's summary as published.
Completed February 8, 2024 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On January 4, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding improper discipline. A self-report of this allegation was received on January 8, 2024, and an unannounced visit was conducted to investigate this complaint on January 22, 2024. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint because all staff members denied witnessing or participating in improper discipline and denied witnessing Staff #1 or Staff #2 spank Child #1. The attendance records collected show Child #1 was not in Staff #1's care during October, November, and December 2023. The camera footage observed showed no evidence of improper discipline.
Older than 3 years (not counted in the summary above)
Completed May 19, 2022 · Result: No Evidence to Substantiate with Concern
Type (as published): OCCL Standards Complaint
The state's summary (as published)
On April 1, 2022, a complaint was called into the Child Abuse Report Line and originally accepted by the Institutional Abuse Unit, but later it was abridged on April 7, 2022. It was sent to the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) on April 4, 2022, and accepted for investigation for failure to report an accident or injury and disrespectful communication. An investigation began on April 14, 2022, and ended May 11, 2022. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for failure to report an accident or injury because the staff who were interviewed reported no mark or bruise was observed on the child throughout the day or when the child was picked up at the end of the day. The parent contacted the center over an hour after she departed to report a hickey on the child's forehead that was observed after she arrived home. The parent took the child to be evaluated at an urgent care facility. There is no way to say for certain where or when the injury occurred. There was no evidence to substantiate the allegation regarding unprofessional behavior by the staff member because the officer who watched the video stated the staff involved behaved professionally and attempted to diffuse the situation. A concern noted is that OCCL requested for the video footage from March 31, 2022, to be preserved, however it was not provided due to a technical issue with the recording system.
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More programs in Newark · 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.