The number of single-parent families has increased dramatically. These families are subject to extreme economic problems and thus are in special need of career development and vocational preparation. Displaced homemakers are at a disadvantage inasmuch as they must reenter the work force; moreover, they face the additional career development hurdles of an external locus of control and low self-esteem. Adolescent mothers generally face the problems of diminished educational and vocational achievement and limited or no access to child care. Although single-parent fathers generally have a healthier economic status than their female counterparts, they often find their sole child-rearing role conflicting with their work expectations and must often fill social roles for which they have not been prepared. Effective career development programs for these special needs groups need a variety of components, including the following: emotional support, job-seeking skills, basic skills instruction, outreach and recruitment, child care, analysis of the role of gender in occupational choice, self-concept building, skills assessment, challenges of combining work and family roles, nontraditional job skills, and parenthood education. Examples of successful programs that have been tailored to single-parent audiences include high school dropout prevention programs for pregnant teens and teen parents, special programs catering to nontraditional adult students at established educational sites, support and referral networks linking a variety of community agencies and services, and newsletters geared toward single parents. (SK)