Early childhood education and care (educare) combined with community development presents a unique opportunity to stimulate the disadvantaged and oppressed sectors of the population towards improved economic status, increased self-confidence and self-esteem, and human development. The three main elements of this approach are the community, parental involvement, and empowerment. Research results indicate that for children from deprived groups, intervention must consider the needs of the whole child within the context of the family and community. Community support and parent involvement are key variables in the operation of preschools and other services for children under five. Child care has great potential for driving the empowerment process at the local level. Educare contributes by facilitating mutual respect among parents and other caregivers and by fostering critical reflection. The process of community development in the educare context involves: (1) identifying needs through community and educare profiles, and needs assessment; (2) prioritizing these needs; (3) developing, implementing, and monitoring a plan of action to meet the needs; and (4) evaluating the process and outcomes. While the community worker plays several important roles in this process, he or she does not lead, manage, or own the process or the product. Community development is about individual human action and the development of people. (AC)