The guidelines are intended to be used by physicians, educators, social workers, mental health and child care workers, and law enforcement professionals. Specific guides for deciding to report include assessing eyewitness observations; the child's statements; the parent's admissions; suspicious injuries; avoidable injuries; children left alone or in dangerous environments; signs of sexual abuse; severe physical deprivation or unmet medical needs; chronic absence from school; and parental indifference to the child's emotional problems and misbehavior. Severe parental disabilities are discussed as well as the problems of deserted children. The need for multi-disciplinary professional consultations in developing reports is also discussed.