HEAD START PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES PROVIDE CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO PRESCHOOL CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. IN 1978, HEAD START EXPECTED TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 423,000 CHILDREN. THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF HEAD START ARE PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND SOCIAL, HEALTH, AND EDUCATION SERVICES. ALTHOUGH HEAD START'S PRIMARY TARGET POPULATION IS NOT THE IDENTIFIED VICTIMS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES ITS RESPONSIBILITIES TO HEAD START CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS. HEAD START IS NOT A PRIMARY TREATMENT AGENCY FOR ABUSE AND NEGLECT, BUT IT PROVIDES SERVICES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT IN THE PREVENTION OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. HEAD START PROGRAMS ARE REQUIRED TO COOPERATE WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE AGENCIES, TO IDENTIFY AND REPORT KNOWN AND SUSPECTED ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAWS, TO DESIGNATE A STAFF PERSON TO HANDLE DUTIES RELATED TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND TO PROVIDE ORIENTATION AND TRAINING TO PARENTS AND STAFF ON THE IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD, 6,000 HEAD START STAFF AND PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN SUCH TRAINING. HEAD START PROGRAMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RETAIN IN THE PROGRAM ALL CHILDREN WHO ALLEGEDLY HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED. TO ASSIST LOCAL HEAD START PERSONNEL IN DEALING WITH ABUSE AND NEGLECT, A SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL TEXT ON THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED. A COPY OF HEAD START'S POLICY INSTRUCTIONS ON ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS INCLUDED. (LKM)