Child care policymakers in Ontario and Michigan were compared in a study of provincial and state political processes and structures that affect child welfare. The two regions were selected due to similarities in their demographic characteristics, economic structures, and Anglo-American cultural commitments. The rationale for the study was that an analysis of political processes could illustrate certain trends in child care policy in North America as a whole, and that an understanding of the relationships among pertinent players in agencies, legislatures, and interest groups could help explain what was feasible in child care policy. The study combined a reputational technique for respondent identification and elite interviewing for data collection. It was found that networks of child care groups have been developing in both Ontario and Michigan for more than a decade, and that although the numbers are small, they have had increasing effectiveness at federal, provincial and state levels. Despite a laissez-faire atmosphere in Michigan, child care advocates have had some legislative sponsorship. It was shown that effective advocacy in Ontario meant avoiding cooptation, while in Michigan, it prevented fragmentation. It is concluded that policy analysis of child care has centered on social values that emphasize the child or cost benefit issues over programming. Contains 7 references. (Author/LB)