THE CHILD-CARE CRISIS - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONS CHILDREN

The child care issue in the U.S. has reached crisis proportions. This article begins by describing the extent and nature of the problem, The 1990 Child Care and Development Act is a step, albeit an imperfect on e, toward solving the problem. Several guidelines for developing an ef fective child care system are articulated. One approach, the School of the 21st Century, is described and preliminary evidence of its effect iveness is presented. Concluding reflections are offered on overcoming barriers in order to establish quality day care services.