Providing child care to young children has been an important part of the mission of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) since the early days of the organization. Noting that one of the most frequently identified needs of current YWCA child care programs is a guide for providing child care within the association's mission, this guidebook for YWCA child care centers compiles resources contributed by YWCAs across the country. Part 1 of the guidebook presents an overview of YWCA child care, including a history of the organization, description of basic requirements for a mission-driven YWCA child care program, and a description of the current social-political context in which child care operates. Part 2 contains a multitude of resources submitted from YWCAs across the country and is organized in the following areas: (1) basic YWCA child care operations, including philosophy, community needs assessments, funding mechanisms, ethics and confidentiality, and operating policies and procedures; (2) family support systems, including registration and orientation, financial agreements, child health and safety documents, family handbook, communicating with families, and program evaluation; (3) staff supervision and development, including personnel records, effective interviewing, job descriptions, teamwork, professional development, and staff performance evaluation; (4) program implementation, including program policies and procedures, curriculum planning, child observation tools, program self-evaluation, and resources supporting inclusion, diversity, and peace; and (5) child care administration, including fiscal matters, program records, and marketing tools. Four appendices provide nonracist, nonsexist guidelines, recommended terminology, a list of relevant organizations, and public policy resources. A form for evaluating the guidebook completes the document. (KB)