Several topics centering on children in self-care, or latchkey children, are discussed. Initially presented are demographic and background data related to the emergence of domestic situations in which children spend substantial amounts of time at home unattended by adults. In subsequent discussion, the incidence of unsupervised children at home is indicated, the need of many American families for before- and after-school child care arrangements is pointed out, and the attitudes of parents concerning the latchkey arrangement are discussed. Additionally considered are the attitudes and feelings children have about the latchkey experience. Special attention is given to pressure to mature rapidly, which may be imposed on children relegated to self-care, and to the responses of schools and the federal government in providing school-based child care services. Ways some schools are and others are not meeting the needs of latchkey children are indicated, and federal initiatives addressing the problem are described. The concluding section asserts that the most promising long-term solution to the problem is to coordinate the school calendar with parents' working schedules, either by lengthening the school day and year or by shortening parents' work year, week, and day. (RH)