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This monograph describes the strengths and weaknesses of child care services in the Tamil Nadu region of India and suggests directions for the future of child care. Section 1, "Introduction," discusses the role of the government in providing support for child development, highlighting achievements of the State of Tamil Nadu. Section 2, "Governmental Efforts," provides a history of child welfare services, and describes the projects of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the Tamil Nadu Integrated Nutrition Projects (TINP). This section also discusses the importance of maternity assistance and training for women. Section 3, "Other Sectors," presents information on the development of child care services for working women with children under 6 years, including those required by statute in factories, mines, and plantations; for office workers, and voluntary creches developed with government assistance. Section 4, "Policy Issues," addresses the need for governments to recognize their role in fostering child development, describes Tamil Nadu's child welfare policy, and details the need, current coverage, and gaps in child welfare services. Section 5, "Implementation Issues," discusses problems in implementing large-scale ICDS and TINP programs, including community mobilization and participation, gaps in coverage, child care worker motivation, and the need for worker training. Section 6, "The Challenge Ahead," provides suggestions for building on present strengths to make further progress in Tamil Nadu, including the use of Total Quality Management, stakeholder participation to build consensus on goals, empowerment of stakeholders and improved accountability, and involvement of non-governmental agencies. Contains 25 references. (KB)