Bringing together professionals from sociology, economics, psychology, and family studies, this volume presents papers from a symposium on child care that sought answers to each of the four questions listed in the table of contents. A lead speaker provided an answer, and discussants had a chance to critique the main presentation and set forth their own views. Each session also included a policy person to deal with issues from an applied perspective. The lead papers, review papers, and rejoinders constitute the contents of this volume. Interdisciplinary in scope, it deals with the central issue in a systematic way and attempts to present divergent points of view on each question. As such, it provides the reader with current information and a review of issues intended to provoke new ways of thinking about child care.

Contents: A. Booth, Preface. Part I:What Are the Factors That Affect the Demand and Supply for Child Care, and What Will Be the Demand in the 1990s?S.L. Hofferth, The Demand for and Supply of Child Care in the 1990s. H.B. Presser, Child-Care Supply and Demand: What Do We Really Know? P.P. Olmsted, A Cross-National Perspective on the Demand for and Supply of Early Childhood Services. W.R. Prosser, S.M. McGroder, The Supply of and Demand for Child Care: Measurement and Analytic Issues. S.L. Hofferth, Are Parents Better Off Than They Were a Decade Ago? A Response to Prosser and McGroder. Part II:What Child-Care Practices and Arrangements Lead to Positive Outcomes for Children? Negative Outcomes for Children?A. Clarke-Stewart, Consequences of Child Care for Children's Development. J. Belsky, Consequences of Child Care for Children's Development: A Deconstructionist View. B.T. Bowman, Child Development and Its Implications for Day Care. R. Haskins, Is Anything More Important Than Day-Care Quality? A. Clarke-Stewart, Consequences of Child Care -- One More Time: A Rejoinder. Part III:What Are the Consequences of Child-Care Practices and Arrangements for the Well-Being of Parents and Providers?K.O. Mason, L. Duberstein, Consequences of Child Care for Parents' Well-Being. E. Galinsky, The Impact of Child Care on Parents. D.A. Phillips, Child Care and Parental Well-Being: Bringing Quality of Care Into the Picture. H.B. Presser, Child Care and Parental Well-Being: A Needed Focus on Gender and Trade-Offs. Part IV:What Policies Are Necessary to Meet the Need for High-Quality Child Care, and How Can the Policies Be Realized?R. Maynard, E. McGinnis, Policies to Enhance Access to High-Quality Child Care. A. Cherlin, Infant Care and Full-Time Employment. S. Scarr, Keep Our Eyes on the Prize: Family and Child Care Policy in the United States, As It Should Be. K.R. Thornburg, Child Care Policies: Changing to Meet the Needs.