There exists a greater awareness of the unique issues involved in providing universally available, high quality services for children and families where: (1) populations are more scattered, (2) social service agencies are typically either understaffed or nonexistent, and (3) resources for community support are much harder to locate. Two factors which have a controlling effect on child care provisions for rural families are: (1) distance and (2) resources. In order to create effective child care systems for rural areas, planners must cope with such problems as transportation, skilled people, facilities, and effective agencies. Planners should consider various options for delivering comprehensive child care through the auspices of a single agency. The point of "single entry" can be child care centers, in-home visitations, family day care homes, community child care events, the media, or a mixture of these systems. Whatever delivery mechanisms are chose, 3 factors must be considered: (1) the community's needs; (2) the delivery mechanism's coordination with other agencies; and (3) community support. (NQ)