This literature review provides information on the status of family day care around the world. The three chapters of Part 1 introduce the report. Chapter 1 includes an outline of the organization, an explanation of the terminology, and a description of the methodology used in the review. Chapter 2 presents a policy framework which can be used to organize thinking about the practice of family day care in various countries. Chapter 3 describes the October, 1987 International Family Child Care Conference, in Cardiff, Wales. Part 2 describes the operation of family day care in a number of countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The information is organized under the headings: (1) status of providers; (2) government, community, and parental involvement in relation to policy and decision making power, organizational structures, and programs; (3) funding; and (4) the effectiveness of service models. Part 3 examines research on the value of family day care. The discussion is organized into two sections, one on effects of family day care on children's development and another on effects on families. Lastly, the literature regarding the purpose and effectiveness of regulation and various regulatory procedures in family day care is reviewed. A glossary is appended and 323 references are cited. (RH)