This position paper describes several aspects of ideal family day care. The importance of a mother substitute and a "home away from home" in which both preschool and school-age children are free to be themselves is emphasized. The key to an optimal relationship between the natural and day care parents is mutual cooperation, friendship and confidence. Each child has the greatest opportunity to develop emotional maturity if he is placed in a setting which respects and encourages his uniqueness. Flexibility of the day care mother can allow for unusual preferences, sick care and the provision of special adult and peer relationships. In addition, the entire home is an environment for learning, and the advantages of home care are evident in many areas of the child's developmental growth. The individual characteristics of the family day care mother are also important; factors such as her time availability, emotional makeup, abilities, and belief in what she is doing are instrumental in determining the results of her care. (SDH)