This document presents a set of standards to be used in planning and establishing a high quality child care program. The standards are based on the recommendations of technical panels that studied particular facets in child care and are intended to serve as goals for practice and guidelines for implementation. The nine chapters of the text address the topics of: (1) staffing; (2) program activities for healthy development of children; (3) protection and promotion of health; (4) nutrition and food service; (5) facilities, supplies, equipment, and transportation; (6) infectious diseases; (7) children with special needs; (8) program administration; and (9) licensing and community action. The chapters list almost 1,000 standards. Each chapter includes a rationale for each standard and comments concerning the standard. A list of references is provided at the end of each chapter. A series of 39 appendices includes further lists of standards and additional information relating to standards, a reference list for the appended materials, a glossary, and an index. (BC)