"This text is intended for students and professionals in special education, regular early childhood education, and related disciplines who are interested in working with young children who have handicapping or at-risk conditions before they reach school age. The purpose is to provide a comprehensive overview of the field, its mission, and the unique approaches for helping this young clientele."--Page vii

This is the fourth volume in the Rehabilitation Education Series. It is the first volume tobe co-edited and follows a volume on quality of life. The first few years of a child' s life sets the pattern for many issues associated with quality of life. Although intervention may at later stages enhance quality oflife, it is in these first years thatthe attitudes and systems of society can have long lasting effects. The early years are increasingly seen as the province of the educator and in children with disabilities, special education. They are already recognized as the province of the health professional. Here we attempt to take a different line re-inforcing the idea that child and family are the interacting system we serve. The needs are often multidisciplinary, but we need to recognize context as the critical marker. Thus assessment needs tobe linked to program mes and therefore programmes themselves have tobe evaluated, and environmental issues underlined. In particular the contribu tion from those with sociological interests are noted. Intervention, whether it be psychological or educational, is frequently and ideally placed in the hands of parents or the nearest caregiver. The professional becomes the processor ever mindful of the context in which needs and goals are experienced. These issues are basic to the issues of quality of life. D.R.M. R.I.B.