A few months ago, headlines shouted that child-care centers contribute to children's disruptive behavior—an effect that lasts through sixth grade. The news, gleaned from a long-term National Institutes of Health-funded study, made lots of us nervous. Yet those headlines didn't tell the whole story (what else is new?) and perhaps didn't even tell the right one. What did the study really reveal? Read on.The scoop on the study: Children who spent longer times in center-based day-care settings—three to four years—did exhibit slightly more disobedience and/or aggression into sixth grade, but these behaviors fell well within the normal range for all kids. In addition, the study researchers noted that the quality of parenting has a much greater influence on children than day care does. Also, kids in higher-quality care (caring and engaged adults in a safe and nurturing environment with an appropriate staff-to-child ratio, for instance) scored somewhat better in fifth-grade vocabulary assessments than those in lower-quality care.The underlying issue is the availability of quality center-based care to working families, says Linda Smith, executive director of the nonprofit National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (www.naccrra.org). "The headline should be that quality hasn't improved in decades and the number of high-quality centers is way too low," she says. Many states don't require even the basics for quality care: degreed teachers with good training, background checks on staff and oversight of standards like health/safety and discipline. What's a working mom to do?Find out what your state's child-care requirements are, advises Smith. If unsatisfactory, push state legislators for more. In the meantime, you have the right to ask all kinds of questions when checking out centers for your baby or toddler. Here are the most crucial:Have you done staff background checks? This information will give you peace of mind.

How well trained is your staff? Management should have at least a bachelor's degree, and directors and trainers should have early-childhood or child-development education. Also ask about training in first aid and CPR.What's the adult-to-child ratio? For day-care centers, optimal ratios are 1:4 for infants and 1:5 for ages 1 to 2. Find more ratios and child-care search tips here.Are you licensed, and when were you last inspected? A health, safety or child-care inspector should visit regularly—and quarterly visits are optimal.What are your health and safety policies? Remember to ask about cleanli-ness, first-aid preparedness and hand-washing policies. Also, find out what happens when children get sick.What's your policy on discipline? If it's not consistent with your values, go somewhere else.

Beyond these points, "meet the people who will be taking care of your child and see if you think there's a good fit," Smith adds. Before signing up, take your child to the facility to interact a bit. And trust your instincts about how the adults react to her. What you'll most want to know is that the people taking care of your baby will love and care for her and that all the children are safe and healthy and learning something.