THE SURVEY HAD FOUR OBJECTIVES: TO DETERMINE WHICH STATES AND COMMUNITIES PROVIDE PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO NEGLECTED AND ABUSED CHILDREN; TO IDENTIFY THE AUSPICES AND LEGAL BASES FOR THESE SERVICE PROGRAMS; TO ASSESS THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE PROGRAMS; AND TO EVALUATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE BEING MET. A COMPARISON WITH 1956 SURVEY FINDINGS REVEALS A GENERAL GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, ALTHOUGH NO STATE OR COMMUNITY HAS A PROGRAM ABLE TO MEET SERVICE NEEDS. VOLUNTARY SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES DECLINED BY MORE THAN 40 PERCENT BETWEEN 1956 AND 1967. MANY PROGRAMS REPORTED AS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ARE IN REALITY NONSPECIFIC CHILD WELFARE OR FAMILY SERVICES, OFFERING ONLY TOKEN PROTECTIVE SERVICES. CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES IN PATTERNS OF SERVICES EXIST FROM STATE TO STATE. FINDINGS ALSO INDICATE AN OVERALL NEED FOR CASELOAD CONTROLS, BETTER TRAINED STAFF, AND GREATER COMMUNITY COOPERATION IN CHILD PROTECTIVE PROGRAMS. ANALYSIS OF ABUSE REPORTING LAWS ENACTED IN ALL 50 STATES REVEALS CONFUSION REGARDING DESIGNATION OF THE AGENCY (LAW ENFORCEMENT VS. SOCIAL SERVICE) TO WHICH ABUSE REPORTS SHOULD BE MADE. PARTICULAR CONCERN IS EXPRESSED OVER STATE LAWS EXEMPTING FROM THE REPORTING MANDATE CASES IN WHICH CHILDREN HAVE RECEIVED SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS HEALING IN LIEU OF MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE POSSIBILITY THAT PASSAGE OF REPORTING LAWS WILL LEAD COMMUNITIES TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM OF ABUSE IS UNDER CONTROL IS NOTED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT REPORTING LAWS ARE ONLY A BEGINNING AND THAT, WITHOUT ADEQUATE PROTECTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES, A REPORT OF ABUSE IS MEANINGLESS. NO TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)