Addressed to trainers of infant day care providers, this presentation indicates knowledge and skills through which trainers can foster competence in caregivers. First, caregivers should be familiar with Eriksonian and Piagetian developmental theory. Second, caregivers should be aware of the guidelines for practice provided by empirical research. (Secure attachment, for instance, has been found important for the mental health of infants and toddlers, and is associated with successful learning, obedience and compliance, sociability and altruism, and competence. Research findings also indicate the significance of adult language transactions for infant language development and the importance of body contact and emotional responsiveness between caregivers and infants.) Third, topics for caregiver training should include infant development, interpersonal skills in the process of reciprocal interactions with infants, logistical and practical skills, and ways to encourage parent-caregiver partnership. In conclusion, the paper recommends 10 personal and contextual ways of fostering competence in caregivers being open to such as modeling desired behaviors, clarifying values, and providing praise. (Author/RH)