Daycare License Requirements for Delaware
Worker requirements
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 Daycare Centers |
| 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 |
| 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] |
Delaware Department of Children, Youth and Their Families
Office of Child Care Licensing
1825 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE 19805-1121
Phone: 302-892-5800
Fax: 302-633-5112
Web site: http://kids.delaware.gov/
E-mail: occl@state.de.us
Rules and regulations
http://kids.delaware.gov/occl/occl_resources.shtml#occlregs
Proposed changes
http://kids.delaware.gov/docs/occl_FCC_REVISION_WEBSITE_1.doc
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