This volume, part of the evaluation of the Home Start Program is an informal compilation of the ideas, experiences and insights gained by members of Home Start staffs during three years of family-oriented education and services. Home Start, a federally-funded 3-year (1972-1975) home-based demonstration program for low-income families with 3- to 5-year-old children was designed to enhance a mother's skills in dealing with her own children and to provide comprehensive social-emotional, health and nutritional services. This book is aimed primarily at administrators, sponsors, and directors of Head Start and similar programs who are considering expanding their services to include home visiting. Included in this report are: (1) an overview of the goals, structure and organization of the National Home Start Program; (2) a section on "getting underway" (finding staff, recruiting families, assessing needs, etc.); (3) a description of the basic components of the program (education, nutrition and health); (4) a section on working with families, which includes descriptions of social and psychological services for parents and children; and (5) a discussion of management and planning issues for home-based programs. Appendices include a director of Home Start demonstration programs and training centers, Home Start guidelines, and an index of exhibit sources. A number of forms and charts used in Home Start programs are included in the document. (MS)