The Goddard School in Wilmington

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On January 29, 2025, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding concerns of improper staff-to-child ratios. An investigation was conducted on February 3, 2025. This complaint is substantiated for improper staff-to-child ratios based on staff interviews and attendance records reviewed. Three of the eight staff members interviewed stated on occasion the classrooms will be over the staff-to-child ratio, normally in the mornings or around lunch breaks. One staff member stated classrooms go over the staff-to-child ratio all the time. One week of attendance records were reviewed and showed the infant classroom with five children with one staff member for up to nine minutes on two different days. An additional concern noted was staff attendance not being documented correctly or accurately for meal breaks. An additional concern noted was attendance records reflected children were being signed out of their classroom and signed into the office for periods of time on January 27, 2025, and January 29, 2025.”

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On October 31, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding concerns of staff-to-child ratios and concerns of respectful communication amongst staff. An investigation was conducted on November 12, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for concerns of lack of respectful communication amongst staff based on interviews conducted. Seven of the nine staff interviewed stated Administrator #1 has used inappropriate language and tones towards staff members. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for staff-to-child ratios based on interviews conducted and attendance records reviewed. While two of nine staff members interviewed stated rooms do go out of staff-to-child ratios at times, they did not provide specific examples and attendance records did not reflect this. An additional concern noted was staff attendance not being documented correctly or accurately for meal breaks.”

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On October 31, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding concerns of staff-to-child ratios and concerns of respectful communication amongst staff. An investigation was conducted on November 12, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for concerns of lack of respectful communication amongst staff based on interviews conducted. Seven of the nine staff interviewed stated Administrator #1 has used inappropriate language and tones towards staff members. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for staff-to-child ratios based on interviews conducted and attendance records reviewed. While two of nine staff members interviewed stated rooms do go out of staff-to-child ratios at times, they did not provide specific examples and attendance records did not reflect this. An additional concern noted was staff attendance not being documented correctly or accurately for meal breaks.”

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On October 22, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding concerns of mold on refrigerators doors. An investigation was conducted on October 28, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for mold on the refrigerators doors based on observation of all refrigerators in the facility. LS #1 and LS #2 observed mold on the seals of three of the four refrigerators in the facility.”

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On September 4, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received two complaints regarding concerns of infants not being cared for in child care space, safe sleep violations, and staff not using respectful communication amongst each other. An investigation was conducted on September 12, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for lack of respectful communication amongst staff based on interviews conducted. Six of the eight staff members interviewed stated Administrator #1 does not always demonstrate respectful communication due to using degrading language towards children, parents, and staff. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for concerns of infants not being cared for in child care space based on interviews conducted. Staff interviewed stated infants are not being cared for in unlicensed care spaces. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for safe sleep violations based on interviews conducted. All staff interviewed stated children do not sleep in bouncy seats and if a child falls asleep in a chair they are moved immediately to their crib.”

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On August 26, 2024, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) received a complaint regarding concerns of incorrect staff-to-child ratio, exceeding maximum group size, lack of supervision, children cared for in unlicensed care space, and lack of respectful communication. An investigation was conducted on August 29, 2024. This complaint is substantiated for lack of supervision based on interviews conducted. Owner #1 stated Staff #1 was sleeping in the classroom with children present and Staff #1 s employment was terminated immediately. This complaint is substantiated for children being cared for in unlicensed care space based on interviews conducted. Administrator #1 stated she would care for a child in the office if needed to maintain the ratio or maximum group size of the classroom. This complaint is substantiated for lack of respectful communication based on interviews conducted. Nine of the 13 staff members interviewed stated Administrator #1 does not always demonstrate respectful communication with all staff members. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for incorrect staff-to-child ratios based on staff interviews and review of attendance records. Staff interviewed stated classrooms do not go over ratio and attendance records reflected classrooms were in ratio. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for exceeding the maximum group size based on staff interviews and attendance records. Staff interviewed stated classroom do not go over maximum group size and attendance records reviewed reflect no classrooms exceeding the maximum group size.”

56U Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments

“Ensure cots are labeled or the current cot is posted. Post cot charts in three classrooms.”

Correction date in the state record: May 28, 2024

49U Indoor Space

“Ensure surfaces are clean and cleanable. -Clean or replace the rug in the toddler classroom, repair the back wall in the heron classroom, fix ceiling tiles in the eagle room, and clean the vent in the eagle room.”

Correction date in the state record: May 28, 2024

43U Children's Attendance

“Ensure children are signed in at arrival time. One child not signed in-Corrected at visit”

Corrected during the visit

30U Personnel Files

“Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #2 needs two references. Staff #2 needs two additional references and OCCL health and safety training.”

Correction date in the state record: May 29, 2024

61U Diapering and Soiled Clothing

“Ensure diaper changing mat is cleanable. Replace torn mat in the infant room.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2023

56U Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments

“Ensure all nap equipment is not ripped or torn. -Replace torn mats in multiple classrooms.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2023

53U Outdoor Area

“Ensure playground equipment is safe and hazard free. -Remove or fix broken instrument on playground.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2023

49U Indoor Space

“Ensure all ceiling tiles are correctly installed and replace one missing tile. -Corrected at visit. Ensure water temperate is at or below 120 degrees.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2023

40U Child Files

“Ensure all children's files are completed. Child #7 needs blood lead screening results. Child #6 is missing the infant feeding schedule.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2023

30U Personnel Files

“Ensure all staff files are completed. References for Staff #1,2,5,6, and 7. Health and Safety for Staff #7. Review of child abuse and neglect for Child # 3.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2023

OCCL Standards Complaint (Substantiated)

“On May 19, 2022, a complaint was received regarding staff not attending to the needs of children, not following COVID requirements, and improper staff-to-child ratios. An investigation was conducted on May 25, 2022. This complaint is substantiated for improper staff-to-child ratios because two staff members acknowledged that they have either observed a toddler classroom over ratio in the morning before a second staff member has arrived into the classroom or a toddler classroom teacher has been over ratio after nap time after informing administration, but before a second staff member arrives in the classroom. This complaint is substantiated for not following required illness reporting requirements because the center did not inform classroom parents that their children were exposed to a contagious disease. There is no evidence to substantiate this complaint for not attending to the needs of children because no staff members acknowledged that they have observed these concerns. Staff also stated that children cry during transitional periods at the center but that staff are attending to them. A child was heard crying for a few minutes in a classroom and when this specialist visited the classroom, the child was still crying but was being consoled by a staff member.”

77U Infant and Toddler Care

“Safety traps needed in infant seat in Ducks room.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 9, 2022

75U Activity Areas

“Ensure art equipment is accessible to children in the Turtles room.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 22, 2022

74U Lesson Plans

“Ensure lesson plans include all required weekly and daily components in the Beavers room.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 9, 2022

72U Feeding of Infants

“Ensure infant feeding statements are updated at least monthly by parents with both sides of requested information. Forward for Child #11.”

Correction date in the state record: May 26, 2022

61U Diapering and Soiled Clothing

“Replace torn diaper changing mat in Turtles room.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 9, 2022

49U Indoor Space

“Replace/adhere molding to edges in the indoor gym.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 9, 2022

40U Child Files

“Obtain complete children's files. Obtain lead test documentation for Child #5, 9, 14, 18, and 19, and complete MAR forms for Child #1 and 21.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 9, 2022

38U Parents Right to Know

“Obtain parents right to know notice log. Send to OCCL.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 22, 2022

30U Personnel Files

“Obtain complete staff files. Obtain CPR and first aid certification for Staff #1 and 4, one more reference for Staff #2, two references for Staff #3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12. Obtain declaration and drug prohibition form for Staff #4, service letter with documented attempts for Staff #5 and 2 references if no service letter returned. Obtain first aid and administration of medication for Staff #5, health appraisal; with TB results for Staff #6, service letter from College Nannies for staff #10 and Harbor Chase for Staff #12, and eligibility letters for Staff #10 and 11.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 23, 2022