A NEW, OVERWORKED AND UNDERTRAINED CASE WORKER LEARNS IN THE FIRST CASE A COMMON PATTERN OF NEGLECT--A FAMILY OVERWHELMED BY ECONOMIC STRESS--AND FINDS THAT HE MUST RESCUE THE CHILD BY HELPING THE FAMILY, DESPITE THE PROUD REFUSAL OF ASSISTANCE BY THE CHILD'S PARENTS. IN A SECOND CASE, THE AFFLUENT MOTHER OF AN ABANDONED 4-YEAR OLD FRANKLY STATES THAT SHE DOES NOT WANT HER CHILD. THE SOCIAL WORKERS, RECOGNIZING THAT SHE CAN AFFORD MORE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING, GUIDES HER TO A PSYCHIATRIST. IN THE THIRD CASE, THE WIDOWED MOTHER OF A SERIOUSLY MALNOURISHED CHILD IS FOUND TO BE AN ALCOHOLIC AND UNABLE TO COPE WITH THE DEMANDS OF MOTHERHOOD. AGAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING IS SUGGESTED. (KBL)