New On-Site Childcare Aims to Support Bayhealth Workers in Milford

Bayhealth celebrated the upcoming opening of the Ann L. Burton Center for Children with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour at its Sussex Campus in Milford. (Photo courtesy of Bayhealth.)

Bayhealth marked the opening of a new on-site childcare facility for employees this week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour at its Sussex Campus in Milford.

The Bayhealth Ann L. Burton Center for Children is expected to open in the coming weeks and will provide childcare for Bayhealth team members and their families. The facility is designed to support healthcare workers with extended hours that align with hospital schedules, including 12-hour shifts.

The center will operate from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., seven days a week, serving children from infancy through age 11. More than 100 Bayhealth employees are expected to use the facility, which will employ approximately 25 staff members. In addition to daily care, the center will be available as a childcare resource for team members and their families during emergencies.

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“At Bayhealth, we know that caring for our team members and clinicians extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and practices,” said Bayhealth President and CEO Terry Murphy, FACHE. “Providing excellent childcare allows our teams to come to work with confidence, knowing their children are in a safe, nurturing and high-quality environment.”

The Milford center complements Bayhealth’s long-running childcare program at its Kent Campus in Dover. That program has operated for nearly 40 years with Delaware licensing in good standing and has received honors including the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Child Care and the Delaware Quality Award.

Purpose-built for early childhood education, the Ann L. Burton Center includes age-appropriate classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, gardens and family support spaces. The facility will be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a national standard for early learning programs.

“Today is a celebration of what matters most – creating a place where children will learn, grow and thrive for generations to come, and supporting families, strengthening our workforce,” Murphy said.

The Bayhealth Ann L. Burton Center for Children is located at the Bayhealth Sussex Campus in Milford.

Sara Uzer

Sara Uzer is a journalist from Sussex County with more than 15 years of experience as a writer, editor, and community advocate.  She started her career in Washington, DC and has lived in Sussex County for the past five years.