This document contains the conference papers of the North Carolina Conference on Children sponsored by the North Carolina Medical Society and officials of the state government. The purpose of the conference was to discuss inadequacies in the quality of life of children and to suggest possible solutions to the problems which prevent children from being born healthy, developing properly and reaching their full potential. Titles are: (1) The Concrete Cradle, (2) Where We Are and Where We Need to Go in the Next Thirty Years, (3) Background of the Conference, (4) State of the Child in North Carolina, (5) State Commitment to Children, (6) Current Resources for Children, (7) Genetic Counseling and Other Genetic Services in North Carolina, (8) Perinatal Care, (9) North Carolina Prekindergarten Screening Program, (10) Home Health and Day Care, (11) Mental Health, (12) Early Childhood Education, (13) Reading and Writing Programs, (14) Arithmetic, (15) Exceptional Children, (16) Rights of Children, and (17) Priorities and Strategies for Change. A one-page list of conference recommendations is included. (MS)