THE most far-reaching and comprehensive study to date has found that using child care does not affect infants’ trust in their mothers.” Thus began a front-page story in the April 21 edition of the New York Times, summarizing preliminary findings of an ambitious government-supported research project, the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. The results had been reported by a panel of investigators at the International Conference on Infant Studies held in Providence, Rhode Island. When the panel announced its conclusions, members of the audience gasped.