CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO RECEIVE AND ASSESS REFERRALS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT, WHERE CHILDREN ARE FOUND TO BE IN DANGER TO CONTROL AND REDUCE RISKS, AND TO TREAT THE FAMILY. SERVICES ARE UNIQUE IN THAT THEY DEAL WITH UNMOTIVATED AND SOMETIMES HOSTILE CITIZENS, HAVE CRITICAL IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RIGHT TO USE AUTHORITY BY THE COMMUNITY. DESPITE DEFINITIONAL PROBLEMS REGARDING ABUSE AND NEGLECT, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ARE GENERALLY AGREED TO HAVE CERTAIN SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN AS STATED IN THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT OF 1974. NEGLECT, AN ACT OF OMISSION, MAY BE DIVIDED INTO PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL, AND EMOTIONAL NEGLECT AND ABANDONMENT AREAS. ABUSE, AN ACT OF COMMISSION, INCLUDES PHYSICAL ABUSE AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. REPORTS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT INCREASED 24 PERCENT BETWEEN 1976 AND 1977, FROM 412,972 REPORTS TO 512,494, WITH CONSIDERABLE VARIATION IN THE REPORTING RATES NATIONWIDE. SEVERAL FACTORS ARE CONSISTENTLY REPORTED TO BE PRESENT IN SUCH FAMILIES--A BROKEN HOME, INSUFFICIENT CARE, SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE. MAJOR PHYSICAL INJURIES CONSTITUTED ONLY 2 PERCENT OF ALL REPORTS. THE EFFECTIVE WORKER IN THESE CASES MUST BE STABLE, EMOTIONALLY MATURE, HONEST, PATIENT, AND RESPECT THE CLIENT'S DIGNITY. THE WORKER MUST UNDERSTAND THE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT. IN ADDITION, THE TOTAL CASEWORK PROCESS MUST BE FOLLOWED. CASEWORK PROCESS CONSISTS OF SEVEN BASIC STEPS INCLUDING INTAKE; TWO PHASES OF ASSESSMENT; CASE PLANNING; SERVICE PROVISION; CASE REVIEW; AND CASE CLOSURE. TWELVE OPERATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CHILD PROTECTIVE AGENCIES DEVELOPED BY THE AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE OBSERVED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED IN THE HANDBOOK. (LWM)