The National Commission on Children was established by Public Law 100-203 "to serve as a forum on behalf of the children of the Nation." It is a bipartisan body of 36 members appointed by the President, the President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate, and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. This report profiles emerging themes and issues the Commission has found through its hearings, town meetings, sites visits, and forums in cities throughout the country. Activities to date include a forum on health care for mothers and their babies held in Chicago, Illinois; Hearings on children and families in rural American held in Madison, Indiana, and Bennettsville, South Carolina; a forum on support for early childhood development held in San Antonio, Texas; a hearing on the drug crisis for America's children, held in Kansas City, Missouri; and an assessment of how families are faring in the economy, held in Charleston, West Virginia. Emerging themes and issues identified by the Commission are the critical role of parents and other caring adults, children in poverty, the pervasiveness of drugs, the crisis in health care, the need for school readiness, and a focus on coordination and prevention in reorienting services for children. Since the Commission's inquiry has lasted less than a year, it does not offer premature proposals in this report. In 1 year, the Commission will announce its proposal for action on behalf of the Nation's children. Appended Commission activities from September 1989 through March 1990