A case study was done of 12 children with disabilities who were removed from the homes of their parents because of abuse or neglect. The primary data were the legal intervention made on the children's behalf with various agencies serving them by a legal services office. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a review of the children's case files. The number of dysfunctions in the various agencies that negatively affected the children's ability to receive an appropriate education were in the following categories: search and serve (3); eligibility (1); timeline violation (8); IEP violation (11); inappropriate program (17); inadequate resources (4); lack of knowledge (3); parent advocacy problem (3); lack of coordination (7); dependent status; and mobility delay (9). In those instances where the child welfare agency did not take into account a child's educational needs when placing that child, but simply considered the appropriateness of the living situation to protect and care for the child, then the thesis was apparently borne out; however, some dysfunctions were apparently part of a routine lack of compliance with certain areas of special education law and would seem to affect any child with similar disabilities and educational needs in the offending school districts. 2 tables and 25 references