This volume presents a comprehensive plan for transition of children with special needs and their families between infant or early intervention services and preschool services, and between preschool services and kindergarten. It aims to help in bridging these services to minimize the stress and increase the promise of early childhood transitions. The chapters discuss: (1) a rationale for bridge-building; (2) federal and state laws and regulations and current national trends that guide transition planning; (3) elements of effective transitions and a model useful for different kinds of transitions; (4) interagency activity needed for effective transition planning, such as defining roles, responsibilities, and timelines; (5) intra-agency coordination; (6) ways for parents and professionals to collaborate; (7) practical strategies for incorporating the preferences and concerns of diverse families; (8) concepts of developmental and instructional continuity for children; (9) actions recommended for sending programs; (10) actions recommended for receiving programs; (11) guidance for interagency planning to serve young children with complex health care needs in community settings; (12) ways to evaluate transitions; (13) the larger context of transitions among early childhood services; and (14) future directions for transition planning, with suggested roles for parents, service providers, administrators, policy-makers, and researchers. Appendixes provide a list of national projects focused on transition, sample interagency agreements, sample timelines, materials for establishing a toddler transition play group, guidelines for developing a community resource directory, and sample evaluation tools. (Contains approximately 300 references.) (JDD)