The importance of addressing the career- and life-planning needs of Canadian children and adolescents has emerged as a prominent theme in recent studies. Studies of adolescents demonstrate that they are proactive and future-oriented and want to gain information and skills to help prepare them for the transition to adulthood. The purpose of this study was to explore the needs of children and adolescents as identified by students, their parents, and school staff. One elementary-junior high school and one senior high school in Calgary, Alberta, were chosen for this study. The results revealed that students and parents perceived there to be the highest degree of need within the life-planning skills area. School staff, on the other hand, reported that the life-planning subscale was the least important area of need and scored self-management as the top priority need for the students they taught. Additionally, identified areas of need increased across the school levels, with primary students reporting the strongest and greatest number of need areas. The results suggest that comprehensive school programs should start at an early age and continue throughout a child's education. (Contains 13 references and 2 tables.) (GCP)