Delaware State Requirements

Qualifications:
Caregivers: Must be at least 18 and have a 4-year degree with at least 3 credit hours in child development or early childhood education and 3 mos. supervised student teaching or 6 mos. experience working with children in group setting; or an associate degree with 3 credit hours in child development or early childhood education and 6 mos. experience; or a CDA with 6 mos. experience; or HS degree with successful completion of vocational child care program or a 1 year certificate program in child development or early childhood education and 1 year experience; or HS degree or equivalent and 60 clock hours of training in child development or early childhood education and 1 year experience.

Provider/Child Ratio:
Age Range     Ratio For Center Based Care in Delaware
Infants     (1:4)
12 - 24 months     (1:7)
2 - 3 years     (1:10)
3 - 4 years     (1:12)
4 - 5 years     (1:15)
5 years and up     (1:25)
Mixed age group     for children under 24 months of age, the ratio shall be that for the age of the youngest child in the group; for mixed age groups with children over 24 months of age, the ratio shall be that required for the age group with the largest number of children present in the group

Age Range     Ratio For Family Child Care in Delaware
0 - preschool with maximum of 3 children under 2 years of age and maximum of 2 children under 12 months     (1:4)

[with 2 additional school age children for a Level I provider and includes family members under school age]
0 - preschool with maximum of 3 children under 2 years of age and maximum of 2 children under 12 months     (1:6)

[with 3 additional school age children for a Level II provider and includes family members under school age]

Important Contact Information:
Child Care Licensing Agency
Delaware Department of Children, Youth and Their Families
Office of Child Care Licensing
1825 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE 19805-1121
Phone: (302) 892-5800
Toll Free: (800) 822-2236 (within State)
Fax: (302) 633-5112

Child Care Subsidy Agency
Delaware Health and Social Services
Division of Social Services
P.O. Box 906, Lewis Building
1901 N. DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE 19720-1100
Phone: (302) 255-9643
Toll Free: (800) 372-2022
Fax: (302) 255-4425

Head Start - State Collaboration Office
State of Delaware Department of Education
Improvement and Assistance Branch, Townsend Building, Suite 2
401 Federal Street
Dover, DE, 19901-3639
Phone: (302) 735-4210
Fax: (302) 739-2388

Child Care Food Program Agency
School Support Services
Department of Education
Post Office Box 1402
Dover, Delaware 19903-1402
Phone: (302) 739-4676
Fax: (302) 739-6397

Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
The Family and Workplace Connection
3511 Silverside Road, 100 Wilson Building
Wilmington, DE 19810-4902
Phone: (302) 479-1679
Fax: (302) 479-1693

Office of Child Support Enforcement
Division of Child Support Enforcement
Delaware Health and Social Services
P.O. Box 904
New Castle, Delaware 19720
Phone: (302) 326-6200
Fax: (302) 324-6246
Customer Service: (302) 577-7171