This working paper was prepared by the Council of Europe Programme Adviser for Pre-School Education for a symposium on "the integration of migrant children into pre-school education". The symposium aimed to identify and suggest appropriate pedagogical measures which should be taken to facilitate and improve the integration of migrant children into preschool education. The activities of the council of Europe in this area during 1970 to 1974 are discussed as well as four case studies on aspects of the compensatory role of preschool education. In addition, there are sections on preschool education in the Netherlands, France, Sweden and The Federal Republic of Germany. These sections include information on the way preschool education operates, general trends in the respective countries, and government policy, focusing particularly on the problem of migrant children. The paper concludes with an outline of the main problem areas to be discussed at the symposium. (MS)