This article explores the relationship between young children's social competence and the goals of early intervention programs. Social competence is seen as a central organizing construct in development, and competence with peers during the preschool years is examined in detail. Specifically, the peer-related social competence difficulties of handicapped children are discussed from a developmental perspective. The nature of assessment and intervention strategies and the importance of the social context are described as part of a general program to improve the peer-related social competence of handicapped children. It is concluded that the social context provided by mainstreamed programs establishes essential conditions forpromoting the peer-related social competence of handicapped children.
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