One in every four families with children under the age of 18 is a single-parent family (up from 1 of every 10 in 1970). The vast majority of single-parent families are low-income families consisting of a mother (usually with relatively little formal education) and her young children. Many female single heads of households are either displaced homemakers or adolescent mothers. Although they generally have a more healthy economic status than their female counterparts, single fathers are often confronted with serious career-related problems as they find their sole child-rearing role conflicting with work expectations. As the sole support of their families, single parents are concerned with obtaining a good job and achieving economic independence. However, job training and job placement can only be effective in the long run if program developers consider the other needs of single parents: emotional support, job-seeking skills, basic skills instruction, outreach and recruitment, child care, self-concept building, skills assessment, nontraditional job skills, and parenthood education. High school dropout prevention programs are also important for adolescent single parents. Difficulties in locating available resources often prevent single parents from learning of career and other services. Support and referral networks and newsletters are an inexpensive and effective strategy for communicating with, educating, and supporting all categories of single parents. (MN)