The situation of the young child and family in Peru circa 1986 was the central concern of the Fourth Western Hemisphere Seminar. This summary report and statement of conclusions provides views on (1) meeting the needs of young children; (2) parental roles; (3) the professional's role; and (4) changes in policy. The discussion of children's needs focuses on parents as resources for learning, family school partnership, pressures on the family, and formal versus non-formal models of intervention. The discussion of parental roles takes up the issues of cost-effectiveness of parent-based programs and social influences on program effectiveness. Quality in programs, institutionalization, and professional/parent collaboration are topics discussed in the overview of the professional's role. The discussion of policy issues includes views concerning child advocacy and evaluation as a formative tool. It is concluded that a good curriculum in childhood education should be based on and positively reinforce the child's own family and environment, while remaining sensitive to the need of the child to move on to other environments. The key issues are the child's stable socialization, the development of the capacity to cope with school as an institution, and the ability to actively exploit opportunities. (RH)