The papers in these proceedings focus primarily on features of the Head Start Program, contributions made to its research and its future direction. The first part of the proceedings contains presentations from the nine symposia, dealing with the following topics: (1) Head Start demonstration projects; (2) issues relating to education and the schools, such as learning and literacy; (3) child development and assessment; (4) child and family health; (5) integrated approaches to early intervention; (6) conceptual models for the study of multiethnic and minority families; (7) researcher and practitioner partnerships; (8) directions the Head Start program can take in terms of research, practice, and policy; and (9) miscellaneous issues such as involving fathers in the Head Start program, research issues in racial identity, and research methodologies. The remainder of the proceedings contains papers presented at the conference as follows: (1) "Adolescent Parents"; (2) "Children with Special Needs"; (3) "Collaborations and Partnerships"; (4) "Comprehensive Approaches to Early Intervention"; (5) "Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum"; (6) "Family Ecology-Systems Approach to Family Research"; (7) "Family Strengths and Adaptive Strategies"; (8) "Family Support Services"; (9) "Health and Nutrition"; (10) "Health Issues"; (11) "Home-Based Intervention"; (12) "Language and Literacy"; (13) "Normative Child Development"; (14) "Out-of-Home Child Care"; (15) "Parent Involvement"; (16) "Research, Service Delivery and Policy"; (17) "Screening and Assessment"; (18) "Social and Academic Competence"; (19) "Training and Development"; and (20) "Transition." Four appendices provide a list of cooperating organizations, the program committee and peer reviewers, as well as a subject index and directory of conference participants. (BAC)