Petition Statement (What We’re Asking For):

We, as early childhood educators, parents, and child advocates, respectfully ask the Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) and state leaders to take urgent action to revise current toddler classroom regulations.

Delaware child care regulations currently allow two teachers to care for up to 12 toddlers aged 12 to 35 months, using a 6:1 ratio. While this meets licensing standards, it does not reflect what national experts consider safe or developmentally appropriate for this age group—and it poses daily safety risks in real classroom settings.

There’s growing research showing that:

Lower ratios: promote secure attachments through responsive care, allow teachers to notice and respond to early developmental needs, improve language development and social-emotional growth through more individualized attention. 

High group sizes and inadequate ratios: heighten the risk of accidents and behavioral issues, raise teacher stress, and increase turnover.

Specifically, we ask that you:
- Lower the toddler child-to-staff ratios
- Reduce the toddler maximum group size
- Require separate classrooms to support developmental differences within the toddler age groups (12–35 months):
 - 12–23 months (younger toddlers)
 - 24–35 months (older toddlers)
- Provide required float/support staff during high-risk times such as transitions, diapering, and mealtime to avoid supervision gaps

These changes would help ensure safer, calmer, and more developmentally appropriate learning environments for our youngest children and more sustainable working conditions for the staff who care for them.

Why This Matters: Supporting Evidence & Real-World Risks

1. National Experts Recommend Lower Ratios

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends lower staff-to-child ratios for younger children. For example, they suggest a 1:4 ratio for toddlers (12-35 months). 

 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Child Care, recommends a 1:4 ratio for toddlers (13-35 months) with a class size of 8.

Delaware’s current standard of 12 toddlers with 2 teachers (6:1) exceeds those safety recommendations.

2. Other States Have Already Adjusted

Some states have recognized the risk and acted:

• Maryland: 3:1 ratio for toddlers, group size of 9
• Massachusetts: 4:1 ratio for toddlers (13-35 months), group size of 9
• Connecticut: 4:1 ratio for a classroom with children under and over the age of 2, group size of 8
• California: 4:1 ratio for toddler, group size of 16
• Oregon: 4:1 ratio for toddlers under 2, 5:1 for toddlers aged 2-3

These states align closer with child development research and prioritize safety and individual care.

3. What can go wrong in a 12:2 toddler room?

Toddlers require constant, close supervision. At this age, children are still learning to walk, regulate their emotions, and communicate. They are naturally impulsive and frequently engage in behaviors like biting, pushing, climbing, or mouthing objects—all of which can become dangerous in a matter of seconds.

When one teacher is occupied changing diapers, helping a child calm down, preparing snack/meals or managing a transition, the other may be left supervising 10+ toddlers alone. This opens the door for serious safety concerns, such as:

- A child risking injury while climbing furniture or outdoor equipment 
- A bite or hit occurring during a peer conflict that a teacher couldn’t reach in time
- A child choking during mealtimes without immediate adult response
- Children wandering into unsafe areas during transitions or outdoor prep
- Emotional needs not being met; Emotional regulation techniques not being appropriately taught.  

These risks happen because the ratio makes adequate supervision difficult and nearly unmanageable. 

4. Developmental Differences Are Too Wide

12-Month-Olds

-Just learning to walk or still crawling
-Nonverbal or using 1–5 simple words (e.g., “mama,” “ball”)
-Strong need for adult support with eating, diapering, and calming
-Frequently mouths toys and objects
-Parallel play or solitary play; little awareness of peer boundaries
-Short attention span (1–2 minutes)
-High risk for falls and unsteady movement
-Emotional regulation depends entirely on adult co-regulation
-Explores with senses; needs repetition and routine

26-Month-Olds (2 years, 2 months)

-Running, climbing, and jumping with confidence
-Speaking in 2–4 word sentences and asking questions
-Beginning to potty train or showing readiness
-Uses utensils and eats more independently
-Plays near or with peers; learning to share and take turns
-Attention span of about 5–7 minutes for activities
-Demonstrates independence (“I do it!”)
-May exhibit strong emotions (tantrums) but starting to name feelings
-Can follow 2-step directions (e.g., “Get your shoes and bring them here”)

Potential Setbacks:

-Younger children may get overstimulated, injured, or left behind developmentally.
-Older children may model unsafe behaviors (climbing, throwing) that the younger ones can’t safely imitate.
-Teachers may struggle to meet both age groups' needs effectively, leading to burnout or inadequate supervision.

These developmental differences require distinct teaching strategies, levels of supervision, and classroom expectations to ensure all children are appropriately supported.

Conclusion

Delaware’s current ratio may meet minimum licensing standards, but it does not meet the needs of children, families, or educators. This petition is about improving safety, protecting our most vulnerable children, and supporting the educators who care for them every day. We ask the Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing and state leaders to listen to teachers, families, and national experts—and update the toddler classroom regulations to reflect what children really need.

Please sign to support a safer, healthier future for toddlers and teachers in Delaware.