Report
TheVardellReport
Ducklings Early Learning Center - Chestnut Run
Child care center
230 Innovation Blvd
Wilmington, DE 19805
Report
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The Vardell Report.Ducklings Early Learning Center - Chestnut Run
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
- Provider Category
- Childcare
- Location
- Wilmington, DE
- Record Period
- 2025–2026
- Source Documents
- 8
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Summary
Across 7 licensing visits from April 2025 to March 2026, OCCL cited 23 regulations at Ducklings Early Learning Center - Chestnut Run; 23 have a recorded correction.
- Visits
- 7
- 2025–2026, compliance reviews and complaint investigations
- Citations
- 23
- Regulations cited by OCCL licensing staff
- Corrected
- 23
- Of 23 citations, with a recorded correction date
- Complaint investigations
- 4
- Investigations of a complaint, with their results in the report
What the Record Shows
- 23 of 23 citations have a recorded correction date.
- OCCL’s files list no enforcement action in this window.
- 4 visits in this window included a complaint investigation. OCCL publishes each complaint investigation’s result, not what the complaint alleged.
- The latest full compliance review, December 9, 2025, recorded 7 citations.
Report at a Glance
- Facility
- Ducklings Early Learning Center - Chestnut Run
- Address
- 230 Innovation Blvd, Wilmington, DE 19805
- License Number
- DE-1627178
- License Type
- Child care center
- Licensed Capacity
- 160 children
- Ages Served
- 6 weeks through 5 years
- Hours
- 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Injuries Reported
- 2025: 3 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2026: 1 facility injury. No facility deaths reported.
- Record Window
- November 1, 2021 to November 1, 2026
Chronology
Inspection History
Every visit in the record window, newest first. A citation is a licensing regulation Delaware found was not met. OCCL publishes each complaint investigation’s result, not what the complaint alleged.
- 2026
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Unannounced full compliance review
7 citations
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected Jan 20, 2026
- 40UChild FilesCitedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
- 49UIndoor SpaceCitedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
- 51UToilet FacilitiesCitedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
- 56USleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep EnvironmentsCitedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
- 63UAdministration of MedicationCitedCorrected Jan 9, 2026
- 66UEmergency PlanningCitedCorrected Jan 8, 2026
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: Substantiated.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Unannounced full compliance review
7 citations
- 26UStaffingCitedCorrected Jul 8, 2025
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected Jul 8, 2025
- 40UChild FilesCitedCorrected Jul 10, 2025
- 56USleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep EnvironmentsCitedCorrected Jul 8, 2025
- 63UAdministration of MedicationCitedCorrected Jul 10, 2025
- 72UFeeding of InfantsCitedCorrected Jul 8, 2025
- 77UInfant and Toddler CareCitedCorrected Jul 8, 2025
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: Substantiated.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
60-day visit
9 citations
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected May 13, 2025
- 40UChild FilesCitedCorrected Apr 24, 2025
- 42UDocumenting Children's ProgressCitedCorrected Apr 25, 2025
- 49UIndoor SpaceCitedCorrected Apr 24, 2025
- 50UKitchen and Food PreparationCitedCorrected May 5, 2025
- 56USleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep EnvironmentsCitedCorrected Apr 24, 2025
- 63UAdministration of MedicationCitedCorrected Apr 25, 2025
- 66UEmergency PlanningCitedCorrected Apr 25, 2025
- 74ULesson PlansCitedCorrected May 5, 2025
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
Delaware’s Office of Child Care Licensing publishes each regulation it cites, not a risk level for it.
Context
Patterns Worth Examining
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
- 1
Personnel Files, Cited in Three Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 30U in April 2025, June 2025 and December 2025. The agency describes it this way: Personnel Files. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2525252525252630U across all 7 visits, oldest to newest - 2
Child Files, Cited in Three Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 40U in April 2025, June 2025 and December 2025. The agency describes it this way: Child Files. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2525252525252640U across all 7 visits, oldest to newest - 3
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments, Cited in Three Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 56U in April 2025, June 2025 and December 2025. The agency describes it this way: Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2525252525252656U across all 7 visits, oldest to newest - 4
Administration of Medication, Cited in Three Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 63U in April 2025, June 2025 and December 2025. The agency describes it this way: Administration of Medication. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2525252525252663U across all 7 visits, oldest to newest - 5
Indoor Space, Cited in Two Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 49U in April 2025 and December 2025. The agency describes it this way: Indoor Space. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2525252525252649U across all 7 visits, oldest to newest - 6
Emergency Planning, Cited in Two Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 66U in April 2025 and December 2025. The agency describes it this way: Emergency Planning. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2525252525252666U across all 7 visits, oldest to newest
For Your Next Visit
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
- 01
What changed after 30U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Personnel Files: cited in three visits, with no risk level published.
- 02
What changed after 40U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Child Files: cited in three visits, with no risk level published.
- 03
What changed after 56U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments: cited in three visits, with no risk level published.
- 04
What changed after 63U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Administration of Medication: cited in three visits, with no risk level published.
- 05
What changed after 49U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Indoor Space: cited in two visits, with no risk level published.
- 06
What changed after 66U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Emergency Planning: cited in two visits, with no risk level published.
- 07
What is the ratio in the room my child would join, and how is every child accounted for at nap time, pickup and on the playground?
Ratios change through the day, so they are worth counting yourself on a visit.
- 08
Has the center ever been on probation or had its license suspended, and what changed afterward?
OCCL’s files list no enforcement action in this window.
The Evidence
Sources and Coverage
Program details, the regulations cited at compliance reviews and the results of complaint investigations are published by Delaware's Office of Child Care Licensing in its daily files on data.delaware.gov.
- Child care providers (data.delaware.gov)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing · 1627178
Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Apr 15, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit May 6, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jun 11, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jul 8, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Sep 10, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Dec 9, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Mar 24, 2026 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Coverage
Record windowNovember 1, 2021 – November 1, 2026
- This record is OCCL's list of licensed providers as of November 2026, with the compliance reviews and investigations in OCCL's files, which run from November 2021.
- OCCL's compliance-review file lists only visits at which it cited a regulation; a visit with nothing cited is not in it, so a program may have had more visits than this record shows.
- OCCL's notes on each citation and its written conclusion for each investigation are left out because they can describe children and staff; the regulation cited, the correction date and each investigation's result are kept.
- Special conditions OCCL records on a license (a variance, or that a home is also a foster home) are left out, and license-exempt care is not in OCCL's list.
What This Report Cannot Tell You
- Visits with nothing cited
- OCCL's compliance-review file lists only visits at which a regulation was cited.
- Investigation conclusions
- Published by OCCL but left out of this record because they can describe children and staff.
- Severity of citations
- OCCL's files do not grade citations.
- Staff qualifications and turnover
- Not part of the published licensing record.
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.