There are a number of approaches to the provision of services in the early childhood education field, one of which involves collaboration between organizations and individuals. This paper explores the challenges of collaboration as a strategy to expand and enrich early childhood services. Philosophical challenges involve: (1) facing the problem of assigning blame for the appalling conditions faced by many children in the United States; (2) sharing power in collaborative ventures; (3) determining which collaborators are effective providers of service to low-income families; (4) understanding children's development; and (5) determining the goals of collaborative programs. These challenges are discussed in terms of the history of the Head Start program. Pedagogical challenges of collaboration concern curriculum development, the role of parents in the teaching process, and assessment of children's learning. Collaborative programs are challenged by the acquisition and distribution of funding and the process of addressing inequalities that result from differentially distributed resources. Challenges relating to program structure and operation involve the accountability of programs to several funding and regulating agencies. Other issues considered in this document include the development of collaborative programs at the national level and alternatives to collaborative programs. A list of 35 references is provided. (BC)