The first section of this book of proceedings contains the text of the conference's opening keynote speech by Edward Zigler and six other special sessions. The second section presents the texts of 61 symposia, divided into nine topical areas. Topics are "Head Start Partnerships, Research, Practice, and Policy,""ACYF Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Branch Symposia,""Community Violence and Substance Abuse," Early Education, Child Care, and School Readiness,""Family Support and Parenting,""Health, Mental Health, and Resiliency,""Methods for Assessing Low-Income Minority Families,""Program Evaluation," and miscellaneous topics. The third section presents short descriptions of approximately 200 poster sessions divided into 21 topical areas: (1) adolescent mothers; (2) research from other countries; (3) child care; (4) child mental health; (5) children with special needs; (6) cultural and linguistic diversity; (7) curriculum and classroom practice; (8) family and community; (9) family support; (10) health and nutrition; (11) infants and toddlers; (12) literacy and home learning; (13) mental health; (14) new methods; (15) normative child development; (16) parenting; (17) professional development; (18) social and academic competence; (19) homelessness; (20) poverty; and (21) transition. Appendices include a list of cooperating organizations and program committee members, list of peer reviewers, index, and directory of participants. (BC)