This book, covering issues identified by day care providers as important to their professional needs, includes information and suggestions in the following general areas: registration (licensing), nutrition, safety, home learning environment, learning activities, relations with parents, community resources and other resources for providers. Addressed to persons interested or already involved in the provision of family day care, urban or rural, the book can be used in group training programs (introductory or inservice) or as a college text. The section on learning activities offers suggestions for infants and toddlers, as well as for school-age children who are cared for during non-school hours. The community resources section, in addition to suggestions for field trips, includes ideas on the availability of craft and construction materials from local sources and on ways to enlist the help of community professionals and non-professionals. The section on other provider resources includes a list of reading materials, a list of organizations and agencies concerned with children, and a guide to health and welfare services. A brief section on record-keeping is also offered. (BF)