Equipped with the National Child Care Staffing and the new Profiles of Child Care studies, researchers are close to estimating the number of child care providers in the formal child care system. Estimates of the number of providers in the system, which includes in-home housekeepers and nannies, unregistered or licensed family child care providers and relative care, are incomplete and difficult to make. Knowledge of the level of preparation and ongoing training of providers is far from complete. Part of the problem is that the general public, and to some extent those involved in the field, confuse experience with training. The bulk of the research finds experience to be a poor predictor of effective teaching, but belief systems do not always accommodate this information. The process of getting reliable information on training is complicated by several other issues, among them inadequately differentiated and elaborated categories of training, the interaction of training and the work environment of the provider, and lack of clarity concerning the roles of formal education and training in producing effective providers. The French system of training providers is impressive; by expecting high levels of training they have ensured a base of quality in their child care programs. (RH)