This Conference focused on policy options for promoting the well-being of children and families in the United States. These conference proceedings present a range of strategies that have proven effective in building parental competence and providing the support needed to enable families to survive and function adequately. The keynote address, "The Challenge of Parenthood" (D. Hamburg), describes the dramatic changes that have taken place in families' lives in recent decades and the formidable challenges facing today's parents. The following articles are then presented: (1) "Preparation for Parenthood" (S. Brown); (2) "Promising Preventive Interventions during Pregnancy, Infancy, and Early Childhood" (D. Olds); (3) "On Building Parental Competence: The Nature of Contracts and Commitments" (S. Kagan); (4) "Avance Family Support and Education Program" (G. Rodriguez); (5) "Parenting Adolescents: What Legislators Can Do to Support Families" (R. Takanishi); (6) "How Parents Can Obstruct and Enhance Adolescent Development: Some Observations and Policy Implications" (S. Hauser); and (7) "Full Service Schools" (J. Dryfoos). (AP)