In this report, shifts underway in early intervention (EI) from a professional-centered to a more family-centered model of service delivery are documented. The demographic changes in the past decade of young children and families receiving EI services (e.g., teen parents, children with more complex developmental and medical needs), in addition to prominent changes in the numbers of families immigrating from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, are discussed as a critical determinant of establishing a helping relationship with families of young children with disabilities. (Chen, 1997). In EI, as in other fields, the literature generally supports the hypothesis that ethnicity is a major determinant of service under-utilization. This report first discusses attributes that support the development of helping relationships between families and professionals. Then, characteristics of families are reviewed that are known to affect a family's choice to utilize services. In the final section, suggestions are provided for promoting effective helping relationships and increased service utilization of families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The report includes extensive references, an annotated bibliography, and a list of available resources from the CLAS Web site. (Author/SG)