SEEKING TO IDENTIFY THE DEFICIENCIES AS OF JUNE 1976 OF THE DEPARTMENT AND TO RECOMMEND SPECIFIC STEPS TOWARD REMEDY, THIS REPORT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS: POLICY AND PROCEDURES, UNIFORM REPORTING, TRAINING, AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. A FIFTH AREA OF CONCERN, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INFORMATION, HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR FUTURE EVALUATION FOR FEAR THAT A REDOUBLING OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION EFFORT WOULD RAISE PUBLIC EXPECTATION AND OVERBURDEN THE STAFF DURING THE FORTHCOMING RECOMMENDED REORGANIZATION. THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT BEFORE 'GOING PUBLIC,' THE DEPARTMENT REVISE ITS POLICY AND PROCEDURES; MAKE ITS REPORTING AND DATA EVALUATION UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATE; INSURE A WELL-TRAINED STAFF AND SUFFICIENT STAFF LEVELS; AND ASSUME A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN COORDINATING THE AVAILABLE AND NECESSARY SERVICES DEALING, ON A COMMUNITY BASIS, WITH THE PROBLEMS OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN. THE SCOPE OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IS PRESENTED IN AN INTRODUCTORY OVERVIEW; THE SPECIFICS OF INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND DETAILS PERTAINING TO THEIR EXECUTION ARE DEALT WITH IN SUBSTANTIALLY DOCUMENTED PASSAGES DEVOTED TO EACH OF THE FOUR AREAS OF NEED. RELEVANT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT DATA ARE INCLUDED. A 1973 APPROVED POLICY STATEMENT ON CHILD PROTECTION AND SUGGESTED REVISIONS OF THIS POLICY STATEMENT ARE INCLUDED AS APPENDIXES. (KBL)