THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS DISCUSSED WITH ATTENTION TO INFANTICIDE, RITUALISTIC KILLING, DELIBERATE DEFORMATION (TO RENDER A CHILD INTO A PROFESSIONAL BEGGAR), WHIPPING AND CANING BY SCHOOL MASTERS, AND THE MORE RECENTLY IDENTIFIED 'BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME.' STATE LEGISLATION AIMED AT THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE IS EXAMINED. IT IS NOTED THAT CHILD ABUSE REFERS TO BOTH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT. THE VARIOUS PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SIGNS MANIFESTED IN ABUSE CASES ARE DESCRIBED. ALTHOUGH SEXUAL ABUSE IS NOT UNCOMMON, ITS TRUE EXTENT IS UNKNOWN. DIMENSIONS OF GENERAL ABUSE ARE NOT EITHER, BECAUSE OF DATA INACCURACIES AND THE FACT THAT ONLY A FRACTION OF THE ACTUAL CASES ARE REPORTED. NOT ONLY PARENTS BUT ALSO OTHER ADULTS AND OTHER CHILDREN ARE GUILTY OF MALTREATMENT. THERE SEEM TO BE AT LEAST FOUR CATEGORIES RELATING TO PARENTS' POTENTIAL FOR PHYSICAL ABUSE: THOSE PARENTS WHO THEMSELVES WERE ABUSED AS CHILDREN; PARENTS WHO LACK THE SKILLS TO CALL ON OTHERS OR ON SOCIAL AGENCIES WHEN THEY NEED HELP; UNSTABLE MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS; AND PARENTS HARBORING INAPPROPRIATE EXPECTATIONS REGARDING CHILDREN. RECENT TRENDS IN FAMILY PATTERNS MAY ACCOUNT FOR THE INCREASING ABUSE PERPETRATED BY MOTHERS, STEPFATHERS, AND BOYFRIENDS. UNHAPPY OR MALADJUSTED TEACHERS ARE ALSO POTENTIAL ABUSERS. THE TYPICAL ABUSED CHILD IS AN INFANT OR CHILD UNDER AGE 3, MORE OFTEN MALE, AND ONE WHO IS SOMEWHAT 'DIFFERENT.' WHILE DOCTORS CAN READILY SPOT PROBABLE ABUSE DURING A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, SCHOOL PERSONNEL MUST JUDGE ABUSE ON APPEARANCE OR BEHAVIOR. THE PREDOMINANT PATHOLOGY OF ABUSE IS SEEN IN THE CUTANEOUS TISSUES, BONE, AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. EMERGING DATA SUGGESTS THAT THE ABUSED CHILD MAY MATURE INTO THE DELINQUENT CHILD. IT IS ARGUED THAT SCHOOL PERSONNEL MUST BE TRAINED TO UNDERSTAND ABUSE AND NEGLECT, INCLUDING THE LEGAL ISSUES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF REPORTING AND TREATMENT. SCHOOL POLICY MUST ALSO BE DEVELOPED, INCLUDING PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING SUSPECTED ABUSE TO APPROPRIATE AGENCIES AND WORKING WITH THESE AGENCIES IN A TEAM APPROACH TO ABUSE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION. AN ABUSE IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING MODEL IS PROVIDED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SCHOOL PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE FOLLOWUP ON INDIVIDUAL CASES BY PROVIDING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CHILD AND COORDINATING INTERACTION WITH AGENCIES DEALING WITH THE FAMILY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED (DJM)