Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St)
Daycare center in Dover, DE. 868 S State St, Dover, DE 19901
About the program
Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) is a licensed daycare center in Dover, Delaware. It is licensed for 84 children and serves infant, toddler, preschool and school age ages.
It accepts child care subsidy.
Tuition and capacity
Tuition: not listed. Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) does not publish a fee schedule. Programs in the area that publish full-time tuition have a median starting price of $607 a month.
Licensing and safety
Open the state record →Most violations are record-keeping, training or maintenance items, and nearly every program has some. Read what each one was and how fast it was fixed. Delaware records each regulation found out of compliance at a review, with the corrective action required and the date it was corrected. The state does not assign a risk level.
Notification to OCCL (regulation 14U)
Ensure OCCL is notified within one business day in the event of an equipment breakdown that threatens the health and safety of children in care, including a loss of power. According to Owner #1, the building experienced a partial power outage that was caused by water intrusion affecting the facility s exterior wiring. OCCL was not notified of the loss of power. This was discussed and corrected when staff agreed to comply in the future.
Governing Body (regulation 15U)
Ensure the licensee, governing body, and employees follow all applicable federal, State, and local laws and regulations. During a complaint investigation on August 6, 2025, Executive Director #1 confirmed to OCCL that Owner #1 was currently in prison for tax issues related to the child care centers. This was discussed and corrected when Executive Director #1 agreed to comply in the future.
Positive Behavior Management (regulation 20U)
Post the positive behavior management statement/policy.
General Qualifications (regulation 28U)
Ensure staff are fingerprinted and an eligibility determination or provisional eligibility is on file. A staff member was observed working in the one-year-old classroom with a qualified staff member. The staff member does not have eligibility or provisional eligibility on file. This was corrected when the staff member was removed from the facility.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure staff files are complete. Two staff members need professional development plans. Two staff members need CPR certification. Three staff members need first aid certification. One staff member needs to complete OCCL's Health and Safety Training for Child Care Professionals. Two staff members need two references. One staff member needs three references. One staff member needs an eligibility letter. One staff member needs adult abuse registry check. Three staff members need an adult health appraisal with TB results. One staff member needs a complete release of employment history and corresponding service letters.
Show all 52 violations on file
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs a health appraisal and immunization record. Four children need blood lead screening results. Two children need infant feeding schedules.
Hazardous Materials (regulation 45U)
Ensure hazardous materials are stored inaccessible and cleaners are locked up. Multiple cleaners were observed in an unlocked cabinet in the one-year-old classroom. Remove the cleaners or lock the cabinet.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Ensure all areas are clean and in safe condition. The non-slip mat on one of the steps leading to the Pre-k classroom is lifted causing a tripping hazard. Clean the sink located in the three-year-old classroom. Ensure walls are cleanable and in good repair. The baseboard in the bathroom located by the kitchen needs repaired/covered.
Kitchen and Food Preparation (regulation 50U)
Purchase a thermometer for the freezer in the infant classroom to ensure the temperature is at 0 degrees F or colder.
Toilet Facilities (regulation 51U)
Ensure liquid soap is accessible for hand washing. Several bars of soap and a bottle of liquid soap were observed in the bathroom located in the three-year-old classroom. Ensure bathrooms are located in the two-year-old classroom needs to be cleaned. Mold was observed in the toilet bowl and around the base of the toilet was dirty.
Outdoor Area (regulation 53U)
Ensure all gates in the outdoor play area are self-closing and self-latching. The gate closest to the parking lot is no longer self-latching.
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments (regulation 56U)
Ensure nap equipment is non-absorbent. Several nap mats in the Pre-K classroom and two-year-old classroom were ripped causing them to no longer be non-absorbent. Ensure rest equipment is labeled. The nap mats in the two-year-old classroom were not labeled.
Equipment (regulation 57U)
Ensure equipment is sturdy and hazard free. Remove the broken metal chair and the broken plastic chair from the school-age classroom.
Sanitation (regulation 58U)
Ensure soap/water and sanitizer/disinfectant is available and used on items/equipment as required. The Pre-K classroom did not have soap/water and sanitizer/disinfectant available.
First Aid Kits (regulation 65U)
Ensure the first aid kit is complete. Purchase a first aid guide, gauze pads, thermometer, and tweezers.
Lesson Plans (regulation 74U)
Ensure lesson plans contain daily opportunities for physical, social-emotional, language/literacy, and cognitive development and weekly opportunities for each special activity. The lesson plan needs to be posted or available for review. A lesson plan was not available for the one-year-old classroom and two-year-old classroom.
License Renewal (regulation 8U)
Ensure the renewal application is submitted at least 60 days prior to the license expiration.
Insurance Coverage (regulation 16U)
Submit the general liability insurance to OCCL.
Staff Qualifications (regulation 24U)
Ensure the EC Administrator (ECA) has the infant/toddler specialization training listed on the ECA certificate.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure staff files are complete. One staff member needs CPR and first aid certification, OCCL's Health & Safety training, an adult abuse registry check, an adult health appraisal with TB results, completed release of employment history, and service letters or two documented attempts. Two staff members need a professional development plan, annual review of abuse and neglect, and annual review of safe sleep. One staff member needs OCCL's Health and Safety training, an eligibility letter, adult abuse registry check, and service letters or two documented attempts. One staff member needs CPR & first aid certification, a professional development plan, adult abuse registry check, an adult health ap
Staff Attendance (regulation 36U)
Ensure staff attendance is documented to include exact hours worked in each classroom or area. A staff member did not sign out of the three-year-old classroom when she left. This was corrected when the staff member was signed out.
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Ensure child files are complete. One child needs a child information card. Two children need health appraisals. Two children need blood lead screening results. One child needs transportation permission. Two children need infant feeding schedules.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Ensure counter surfaces are cleanable and in good repair. Repair the side strip of the counter in the bathroom located next to the two-year-old classroom.
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments (regulation 56U)
Ensure rest equipment is non-absorbent. Several nap mats in each classroom are ripped with exposed foam and need to be replaced.
Sanitation (regulation 58U)
Ensure soap and water and disinfectant are available to clean and sanitize items/equipment as required. the Pre-K and two-three-year-old classrooms need soap and water bottles.
Diapering and Soiled Clothing (regulation 61U)
Ensure the surface used for diaper changing is non-porous. The diaper-changing mat in the two/three-year-old classroom is ripped and needs to be replaced.
First Aid Kits (regulation 65U)
Purchase an instant cold pack and roll gauze for the first aid kit.
Emergency Planning (regulation 66U)
Purchase an emergency water supply.
License Renewal (regulation 8U)
Ensure the renewal application is submitted at least 60 days prior to the license expiration. This was corrected when the application was received on 9/12/2024.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure staff files are complete. Four staff need training hours. Four staff need 2 hours of health and safety training. Five staff need professional development plans. Five staff need OCCL's health and safety training. Two staff need CPR and First Aid. One staff needs eligibility letter from CHU. Four staff need health appraisals with TB screening results. Two staff need service letters with two documented attempts.
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Ensure child files are complete. Child #1, #4, #5 need blood lead screening results. Child #4 and Child #5 need a development plan. Child #6 needs a health appraisal.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Ensure all sinks supply hot and cold water. The sink in the 4/5 year old classroom's girls bathroom, the 3 year old classroom's bathroom and the sink in the 2 year old classroom did not supply hot water.
Outdoor Area (regulation 53U)
Repair the gates in the outdoor play area to ensure they self close. Move the climbing equipment when children's feet leave the ground to the fall zone area.
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments (regulation 56U)
Ensure nap equipment is non-absorbent. Several nap mats are ripped throughout the building.
Diapering and Soiled Clothing (regulation 61U)
Purchase a non-purpose surface for diaper changes for the infant and one-year-old classrooms. This was corrected when two new mats were purchased. Ensure disposable covers are used for each diaper change. The older/younger twos classroom did not have disposable covers are available. Ensure the area is cleaned with soap and water and disinfected after each diaper change. LS Mack observed the area not cleaned and sanitized after a diaper change in the two-year-old classroom. This was discussed and corrected when staff agreed to comply in the future.
Lesson Plans (regulation 74U)
Ensure lesson plans contain weekly opportunities for each special activity. The three-year-old and four-year-old classrooms need a food or healthy habit added to their lesson plans.
Activity Schedule (regulation 76U)
Post a daily schedule in the two-year-old classroom.
License Renewal (regulation 8U)
Ensure the renewal application is submitted at least 60 days prior to the license expiration. This was corrected when the application was submitted at the visit.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure all staff files are completed. Staff # 1 needs an updated review of abuse and neglect. Staff #2 needs an orientation, job description, 2 references, and an adult abuse registry check. Staff #3 needs 2 references. Staff #4 needs orientation, job description, 2 references, declaration, drug and alcohol statement, adult abuse registry check, review of child abuse and neglect, and review of sleep safe. Staff #5 needs orientation. Staff #6 needs a professional development plan with goals. Staff 7 needs a job description, adult abuse registry check, and health appraisal with TB.
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Ensure children's files are completed. Child #1 and Child # 10 need lead screening results.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Ensure all trash cans are working properly. Replace the trash can in the pre-k room and remove the broken trash can in the two-year-old room.
Kitchen and Food Preparation (regulation 50U)
Ensure thermometers are in refrigerators and freeze. Place thermometers in the infant refrigerator and freezer. Replace the thermometer in the kitchen refrigerator.
Diapering and Soiled Clothing (regulation 61U)
Ensure diaper changing mats are free from tears. Replace diaper changing mat in the back two-year room and one-year-old classroom.
Emergency Planning (regulation 66U)
Ensure there is water for a shelter in place.
Lesson Plans (regulation 74U)
Ensure lesson plans are hanging up in each classroom. Send over a week of lesson plans. Classrooms with outdated lesson plans were the one-year-old room, two-year-old room, and pre-k room.
License Renewal (regulation 8U)
Ensure application is submitted 60 days before license expiration.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #1 needs administration of medication and six additional hours of annual training. Staff #2 needs four references.
Hazardous Materials (regulation 45U)
Ensure radon testing is conducted within six months of renovations. This was corrected when radon testing was submitted to OCCL.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Repair the cubby with exposed wood to prevent injury in the two-year-old classroom. Replace the rusty mini-refrigerator in the infant classroom.
Toilet Facilities (regulation 51U)
Repair the ventilation in the two-year-old classroom bathroom.
Outdoor Area (regulation 53U)
Repair the gate facing the front of the facility to ensure it is self-closing. Repair the chipping paint on the side of the building.
Emergency Planning (regulation 66U)
Purchase additional water to allow shelter in place for 24 hours.
What parents say
I would not recommend this daycare to families who prioritize safety and quality care. My child was injured not once, but twice, by the same shelving unit in the infant room. Despite concerns being raised, the shelving remains in place. I am also aware of other children who have been injured by the same shelf, which makes this even more concerning. In addition, my son was sent home on several occasions with heavily…
Amanda vargas · 1/5 on Google · 3 months agoAs a parent, my experience with this daycare was extremely disappointing and unprofessional. I was informed that my son, who had just turned one and is not yet walking, would be moved into a classroom with older children, including two-year-olds. This was concerning to me because I did not feel it was a safe or appropriate environment for his developmental stage. When I voiced my concerns and advocated for my child,…
Jianina Giddens · 1/5 on Google · 3 months agoAs someone who has seen the inside of this center and how the kids are treated please do not send your children here. I’ve seen yelling and hitting as discipline. The workers are not qualified and gets easily overwhelmed with the kids. They make the workers work while sick which causes a continuous sickness throughout the center. By the time the parents pick up their kids the kids have forgotten the treatment they…
User 2470 · 1/5 on Google · 2 months agoI have twins and it's very difficult to find a place that would accommodate both of them at the same time. Ms. Lashell assured me that my twins were going to be fine after dealing with a horrible experience from another child care center. The staff is caring, creative with the children, patient and always doing something for the kids and the parents. They had an amazing experience during fall festival where they…
Allure Nightclub · 5/5 on Google · 6 years agoGetting there
868 S State St, Dover, DE 19901
Questions about Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St)
Is Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) licensed?
Yes. Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) holds an active Child Care Center licence from Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (licence 1094617), with a licensed capacity of 84 children. The state record was synced in September 2026.
Has Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) had any inspection violations?
Delaware records 38 violations for Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) in the last three years, across 7 inspections on file. The median daycare center in the area has 10. Each one is listed above with the date it was corrected.
What ages does Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) take?
Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) is licensed to serve infant, toddler, preschool and school age ages, and is open 6:30 am to 5:30 pm, Mon to Fri.
How much does Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) cost?
Shell's Early Learning Center - Dover (868 S State St) does not publish tuition. Ask for the full fee schedule on a tour, including registration, supply and late pick-up fees. The program accepts child care subsidy.
