THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT AREAS OF CHILD ABUSE REPORTING STATUTES ARE CONSIDERED: REPORTABLE CONDITIONS; PERSONS REQUIRED TO MAKE REPORTS; PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO REPORT; PUBLIC EDUCATION; CENTRAL REGISTRY; GUARDIAN AD LITEM (A PERSON APPOINTED BY THE COURT TO REPRESENT AN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED CHILD IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS); CHILD PROTECTION TEAMS; EVIDENTIARY QUESTIONS; AND TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THREE APPENDIXES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED. APPENDIX A IS AN UPDATED VERSION, CURRENT THROUGH THE 1976 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, OF THE CHART PUBLISHED IN 1976 BY THE EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION OF THE STATES SHOWING THE CURRENT DISTRIBUTION BY STATE OF THE SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS OF THE REPORTING AND CENTRAL REGISTRY STATUTES. APPENDIX B IS A LIST OF CURRENT CITATIONS FOR THE STATE REPORTING AND CENTRAL REGISTRY STATUTES. FOR CASES IN WHICH A STATE HAS A DEFINITION OF 'ABUSE' OR 'NEGLECT' THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE REPORTING ACT ITSELF, A CITATION TO THAT DEFINITION HAS BEEN INCLUDED. APPENDIX C IS A LIST OF CURRENT CITATIONS FOR THE STATE STATUTES ON TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED -- RCB)