Research indicates that the family has a great influence on a child's employment and educational decisions. Family-oriented career development programs are needed for several reasons. Parents indirectly increase their children's career options and career development by enhancing their own employability and career planning skills. Research documents the influence of parental role models; because children are generally in closer contact with parents or other family members than with anyone else, family members are in a good position to serve as resource persons for their children. A wide variety of family-oriented career development programs, each focusing on audience-specific needs, is required. Audience-specific programs could be designed to address the needs posed by the employment outlook in a given geographical area, a special need (such as limited English ability), or a given disability. Practitioners can respond to the need for family-oriented career education by developing a comprehensive plan for counselor interventions that revolves around helping young adults recognize the influence of family and increase their personal autonomy through a three-step exploration of self, educational/occupational information, and relationships with family and significant others. The parental role in the career development process should be a dual one that involves serving as a guide or resource person for one's own children and an advocate of increased career educational opportunities for all children. (MN)