THE COMMUNITY APPROACH TO THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE OPERATES THROUGH A COORDINATED SYSTEM OF INTERAGENCY AND HOSPITAL COMMUNICATION, A COMMUNITY CROSS-INDEXING REGISTER OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN, AND A SYSTEM OF QUALITY CONTROL. VULNERABLE CHILDREN ARE DEFINED AS THOSE UNDER 12 YEARS OF AGE IN A HIGH-RISK SITUATION WITH SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE OR NEGLECT (PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH) BUT WITH NO ACTUAL EVIDENCE OF PHYSICAL TRAUMA. THE VULNERABLE CHILD COMMITTEE (VCC) WAS FORMED IN 1970, AND ITS MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH INVOLVES NURSES, PHYSICIANS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOL HEALTH PERSONNEL, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, HEAD START AND DAY CARE PERSONNEL, JUVENILE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, ATTORNEYS, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS, AND HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM PERSONNEL. THE EXPANSION OF THE VCC HAS RESULTED IN THE FORMATION OF TWO SUBCOMMITTEES DEALING WITH CASE REVIEW AND DISPOSITION AND GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR INDEXING. GENERAL GOALS OF THE VCC ARE TO ESTABLISH THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF CHILDREN VULNERABLE TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT, TO PROVIDE THEIR FAMILIES WITH PREVENTIVE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CARE FOR THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, AND TO OFFER PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CONSULTATION TO LAY AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. THE VCC HAS FOUR SPECIFIC GOALS: (1) TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AMONG PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY HANDLING PROBLEMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT; (2) TO ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN; (3) TO PROVIDE CONSULTATION AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY IN MATTERS OF PREVENTION, IDENTIFICATION, AND TREATMENT; AND (4) TO DEVELOP A CENTRAL INDEX FOR CROSSINDEXING AMONG HOSPITALS AND AGENCIES. BETWEEN DECEMBER 1970 AND FEBRUARY 1974, 224 CHILDREN WERE INDEXED AND 29 OF THESE WERE CROSSINDEXED. EXAMPLES ARE PROVIDED OF SITUATIONS WHICH CONCERN THE VCC, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)