Two federal interagency panels convened a research forum for the purpose of reaching consensus on research findings relating to five broad areas of concern for children and youth: health, education, social services, legal considerations, and economic factors. Experts volunteered to write working papers focusing on a single aspect of the broad areas, such as child abuse or divorce, and to identify reliable research findings. This document reports on the discussions of the 50 working papers and summarizes the salient points of agreement, points of inconclusive data, and, in many cases, needed research. Discussions ranged from a very specific focus on biomedical research to the assessment of the impact of public policy on children, youth and families. The document also provides a matrix of the 23 topics discussed across the 50 papers and across the five areas of concern for children and youth. Many of the papers cut across topics and areas: thus, for example, family structure is examined in the areas of health, social services, education, legal issues, and economic issues. More specific topics, such as child abuse or teenage parents, can be found in an appended list of papers. Lists of agencies participating in the panels and research forum participants are also appended. (Author/RH)