Part of the Council of Europe's Project Number 1, "Preparation for Life," this report analyzes developments in Austria, Finland, the Federal Republic of Germany, and England in the area of preparation for family life. Specifically, the report (1) explains the growing concern in the above countries for the preparation for family life; (2) identifies and contrasts decentralized and centralized conditions for family-life preparation; (3) analyzes curriculum concepts, didactic approaches, and practical methods used in some European countries; (4) follows up some strategies for family-life preparation from compulsory education to vocational and military training, and (5) points to essentials and problems of future development. Following an introductory overview of the study's objectives and rationale, chapter 1 discusses the effects of political demands, economic influences, research findings, and intra-family changes on preparation for family life. The necessity for family-life preparation in school is outlined in chapter 2, and the overall European situation in the preparation of young people for family life is examined in chapter 3. In chapters 4 through 7, the national differences in preparation for family life are illustrated by discussion of priorities, developments, and strategies for each of the above mentioned countries. Finally, chapter 8 stresses the need for and consequences of preparation for family life in some European states. A bibliography and graphic illustration of the educational systems in Austria, Germany, England, and Finland are appended. (MP)