IN FRANCE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE (DASS.) OVERSEAS PREVENTIVE ACTION REGARDING CHILD ABUSE. ALTHOUGH MEDICAL STAFF AND SOCIAL WORKERS ARE MANDATED BY THIS AGENCY TO DETECT CHILD ABUSE AND CHILDREN-AT-RISK, THE IRREGULARITY OF VISITS TO DOCTORS OR FROM SOCIAL WORKERS, AND THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE OCCURRENCE OF ABUSE HINDER DETECTION. TO REMEDY THIS, PERIODS OF VULNERABILITY TO ABUSE HAVE BEEN ANALYZED AS TIMES FOR INTENSIVE SOCIAL SURVEILLANCE. CHILD ABUSE REPORTING IS HINDERED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS REFUSAL TO ADMIT SO REPUGNANT A CRIME AS CHILD ABUSE AND FEAR OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF REPORTING; PARTICIPANTS IN ABUSE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ADMIT THEIR ACTIONS, AND INFORMANTS SHOULD BE ASSURED ANONYMITY. WHEREAS THE DELIBERATE NONREPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE IS PUNISHABLE BY LAW, EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON PREVENTATIVE ACTION FOR THE VICTIM, RATHER THAN REPRESSIVE ACTION AGAINST THE ABUSER. THE ISSUE OF PUNISHMENT FOR ABUSING INDIVIDUALS IS CLOUDED BY THE EFFECT ANY CORRECTIONAL ACTION WILL HAVE ON THE FAMILY AND ON THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP. THE IDEAL IS TO RESCUE BOTH PARENT AND CHILD FROM AN ABUSIVE SITUATION, ENSURE THE CHILD'S PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, AND REEDUCATE THE PARENT. CAREFUL LEGISLATION THAT DEALS WITH CHILD ABUSE AS A COMPOSITE OF PROBLEMS IS THE FIRST STEP, WITH ATTENTION TO CAUSES, TREATMENT, DETECTION, AND PREVENTION, AS WELL AS PUNISHMENT AND REPORTING. FROM THE MOMENT ABUSE IS SUSPECTED (EITHER ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL), ONE PERSON SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO INTERCEDE WITH THE FAMILY AND AUTHORITIES, COORDINATE INFORMATION AND TREATMENT, AND ASSIST IN THE TOTAL WELL-BEING OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. --IN FRENCH. (MHP)