Donna Nichols
Wilmington, DE 19802 · toddlers to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
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Christopher Early Learning Center is a licensed child care center in Wilmington, Delaware. It is licensed by the state, for up to 49 children, serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children.
It is open Monday to Friday, 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing made 9 visits in the last 3 years and cited 8 rules across 6 of them. The visit list, in the state's words, is below.
Hours
| Monday | 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Thursday | 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Friday | 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Saturday | Not listed |
| SundayToday | Not listed |
Programs
| Ages | Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age childrenFrom the state license |
|---|---|
| Child care subsidy | Accepts state child care subsidiesFrom the state license |
| Licensed capacity | 49 childrenFrom the state license |
Cost
Christopher Early Learning Center has not listed its tuition. For comparison, full-time infant care at a child care center in New Castle County has a median price of $280 a week (U.S. Department of Labor, 2022).
State record
9 visits with a cited rule in the last 3 years · Most recent Sep 28, 2026
8 rules cited in those visits. Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing publishes only visits where a rule was cited, so this record cannot show how often it was inspected.
A cited rule is what an inspector found on the day of a visit. It is not a rating of the daycare today.
Own this daycare? Add your response to the state record
OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)
“: On August 31, 2026, OCCL received a complaint regarding allegations of improper behavior supports and failing to have and follow a policy stating parents or guardians visits and monitoring of the program are welcomed and permitted without prior approval. An investigation was conducted on September 3, 2026. This complaint is substantiated for failing to follow a policy stating parents' or guardians' visits and monitoring of the program are welcomed and permitted without prior approval. Staff #1 told a parent the rule is to inform the center first before they can visit. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for improper behavior supports. Staff #1 stated Administrator #1 only comes into their classroom when help is requested with behaviors, and no improper behavior supports have been observed. Additional concerns noted at the visit were the combining of the Maranatha Academy children and the child care children and the absence of attendance record documentation for the children and staff present at the time of the visit.”
63U Administration of Medication
“Ensure administration of medication record is completed. Send MAR form for Child #14”
Correction date in the state record: Feb 20, 2026
40U Child Files
“Ensure child files are complete. Dates and hours attending needed for Child #1,2,3,8,16 *send all dates attending and hours attending for all children enrolled”
Correction date in the state record: Feb 19, 2026
30U Personnel Files
“Ensure staff members have complete service letters or two additional references.”
Correction date in the state record: Feb 19, 2026
OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)
“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received multiple complaints on six separate dates in December regarding a lack of supervision, classrooms out of ratio, not following a schedule, not restricting use of electronics, bribing children with gift cards, not providing developmentally appropriate activities, not using respectful communication, not following the center s posted menu, not following required meal pattern requirements, improper transportation, not allowing access to the facility, failure to report abuse or neglect, and falsifying attendance records. On December 8, 2025, December 17, 2025, and December 22, 2025, unannounced complaint investigations were conducted. Based on the results of the investigation, this complaint is substantiated because attendance documents from the weeks of December 1, 2025, and December 15, 2025, show several instances where both staff and children are not being signed in and out of the classrooms. At the time of the visits, children were observed engaging in unstructured and unsafe behavior, including running throughout the classroom without supervision, and one child sustained a head injury, and an accident injury report was not completed and the parent or guardian was not immediately notified. Staff #1 described the classroom environment as out of control, corroborating concerns regarding failure to provide developmentally appropriate educational activities. Staff #1 reported children play on tablets and phones for extended periods, and that Child #2 and Child #3 are bribed with Roblox gift cards to allow prolonged device use. OCCL observed Child #2 and Child #3 using tablets not related to educational uses. It was also observed by OCCL that children were not provided with developmentally appropriate activities, and they were not being engaged by classroom staff. On multiple visits, the food served did not match the posted menu, and menu changes were not documented. Open and improperly labeled food was also observed in the kitchen. Transportation and off-site supervision concerns were substantiated when Staff #1 took Child #4 off-site during her lunch break to run an errand. Administrator #1 provided inaccurate and inconsistent information to OCCL. Administrator #1 reported Child #1 did not attend the child care center and was homeschooled; however, attendance records show Child #1 signed into the center on multiple dates. Purchase of Care (POC) representatives reported that Administrator #1 submitted claims for at least one child who should not have been receiving funds. Administrator #1 also reported Staff #2 was present and working in a classroom; however, Staff #2 was not signed into the center, and Staff #1 stated Staff #2 was not functioning as a classroom staff member. Administrator #1 further denied Staff #2 brought children from her Family Child Care Home to the center, despite Staff #1 and the Reporter stating these children were present and not signed in on the attendance records.”
40U Child Files
“Ensure child files are complete. Child # 5, 7 need immunization record and blood lead results OR notarized exemption letters”
Correction date in the state record: Feb 7, 2025
30U Personnel Files
“All staff files must be complete. Send the 7-hour health and safety training for one staff member.”
Correction date in the state record: Feb 9, 2024
OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)
“On August 22, 2023, and August 30, 2023, two complaints regarding improper discipline were called into the Child Abuse and Neglect Line and accepted for investigation by the Institutional Abuse Unit (IAU) and the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL). An unannounced visit was conducted by OCCL and IAU on August 30, 2023. This complaint is substantiated for improper discipline because four out of five school-age children who were interviewed stated they had either been hit or had seen other children hit by Staff #1. The children all stated Staff #1 uses a ruler, which was found in the location disclosed by the children.”
53U Outdoor Area
“Ensure the playground has the appropriate fall zones for all raised equipment. Send the pictures when the fall zone areas have been corrected.”
Correction date in the state record: Mar 11, 2023
50U Kitchen and Food Preparation
“Sweep and mop the floor in the kitchen, focusing on the areas along the edge of the cabinets. Send pictures after completion.”
Correction date in the state record: Mar 3, 2023
40U Child Files
“All child files must be complete. Send the documentation of the completed blood lead screening for four children. Send the current health appraisal for one child. Send the current immunizations for three children.”
Correction date in the state record: Mar 3, 2023
30U Personnel Files
“All staff files must be complete. Send the completed professional development plan for one staff member. Send the completed health and safety training certificate for three staff members. Send the updated fingerprinting receipt for two staff members.”
Correction date in the state record: Mar 3, 2023
OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)
“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on January 17, 2023, regarding the allegation that three children had their enrollment terminated due to retaliation from a previous complaint received by OCCL. The investigation of this complaint began on January 19, 2023. Although retaliation is not a regulation violation, the complaint is substantiated because the center did not follow its own expulsion policy. The center s policy states a child s enrollment may be terminated if they pose a serious threat to themselves or others. This would apply to Child #1, but not to Child #1 s siblings. Therefore, the two siblings should not have had their enrollment terminated.”
OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)
“The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint on December 28, 2022, regarding an allegation of improper discipline. An unannounced visit was conducted on January 4, 2023, to investigate the complaint. The complaint is substantiated for improper discipline because Child #2 stated during the investigation that Staff #1 grabbed him and hurt his arm in the exact scenario stated in the complaint OCCL received from the Reporter”
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Wilmington, DE 19802 · toddlers to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
4011 N Market St, Wilmington, DE
3707 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE
13 E 35th St, Wilmington, DE
Wilmington, DE 19802 · infants to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
Wilmington, DE 19802 · infants to preschool · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
Wilmington, DE 19802 · infants to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
Wilmington, DE 19802 · infants to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
Wilmington, DE 19802 · infants to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
FAQ
Yes. Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing lists it as licensed and operating.
Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing lists the most recent visit on September 28, 2026, with 1 rule cited. It lists 9 visits in the last 3 years.
Yes. Inspectors cited 8 rules across 6 of 9 visits in the last 3 years; 5 show a correction in the state record. A cited rule is what an inspector found on the day of a visit. It is not a rating of the daycare today.
49, the licensed capacity on the state record. It is licensed to serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children.
Yes. The state record says it accepts child care subsidies.
Monday to Friday, 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Holiday hours can differ.
It has not listed its tuition. Call (302) 764-7162 to ask.
(302) 764-7162.
4001 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19802. The nearest other daycare we list is Next Generation Learning Academy, under 0.1 miles away.