This paper examines federal requirements which promote parent involvement in day care, particularly in services for children under 3 years of age. The rationale for parent participation in poverty programs for children is discussed from three perspectives--political, economic, and socio-psychological--and Project Head Start's application of this rationale to poverty program guidelines is described. The basis for parent participation in day care for children of all socioeconomic backgrounds is delineated in terms of the role of the parent as guardian, as consumer, and as citizen. Also discussed are the physical vulnerability of the infant, the development of social attachments, and the influence of early experiences on the child's subsequent development as they affect parent participation in infant day care. The 1968 Federal Interagency Day Care Requirements (FIDCR) statement on parent participation is examined and two alternatives to the 1968 statement, based on a 1972 proposed revision of the FIDCR, are suggested. One alternative deals with regulations at a national level regarding collaboration between parent and institution, and parent participation at a city level. Recommendations for new federal requirements are presented. (CM)