In the 1970's, the field of child abuse and neglect was in its infancy. Few newspapers ran stories on child maltreatment, and the public had barely heard of the battered child syndrome. Politicians had little interest in the issue, even though the Child Abuse and Neglect Treatment Act had been passed. Although all 50 States had child abuse reporting laws, very few cases of child abuse and neglect were reported. By 1986, however, child abuse was making front page news. People began to understand the link between child abuse and other social problems such as crime. In addition, the rising number of abused and neglected children fueled growing political interest in child abuse and neglect issues. Child abuse continues to be a popular issue, prevention efforts have grown significantly, and knowledge on all aspects of child maltreatment has increased dramatically. Political and social changes have affected the work of child abuse and neglect professionals, particularly changes related to family structure and stability. One of the most significant risk factors for child abuse and neglect is social isolation. Future challenges include the development of improved research methods and program strategies and the mobilization of professional and community groups to focus on child abuse and neglect issues in a coordinated way.