PROJECT PROTECTION IS FUNDED BY THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION UNDER TITLE III OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT. INITIATED IN AUGUST 1974, PROJECT PROTECTION INVOLVES FOUR PHASES: STAFF DEVELOPMENT, DIRECT SERVICE TO COUNTY NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, AND POLICY REVISION. THE FIRST STEP FOR ANY SCHOOL SYSTEM FOCUSING ON CHILD ABUSE AND CHILD NEGLECT SHOULD BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE CHILD PROTECTION POLICY. ONE OF ONLY A FEW SCHOOL CHILD PROTECTION POLICIES IN THE NATION, THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (MCPS) POLICY OF 1974 STATES THAT ANY COUNTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEE WHO BELIEVES THAT A CHILD HAS BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED SHOULD REPORT THE INFORMATION. IN 1975, COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS REPORTED 139 CASES OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE, HALF OF WHICH INVOLVED ADOLESCENTS. THE STATEMENT POLICY EMPHASIZES THAT IT IS SUSPECTED ABUSE THAT IS TO BE REPORTED AND THE EXTERNAL PHYSICAL INJURIES ARE NOT NECESSARY. THE MCPS POLICY REFLECTS STATE LAW AND MARYLAND SOCIAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES ON THE SAME SUBJECT. IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION PROJECT PROTECTION HAS SHOWN THAT A SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN THE EARLY DETECTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. SCHOOL REPORTS OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE IN THE 1974-75 SCHOOL YEAR DOUBLED FROM THE 1973-74 SCHOOL YEAR; THE NUMBER OF CONFIRMED CASES OF PHYSICAL ABUSE HAS QUADRUPLED. MORE IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, A HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT NOW EXISTS AMONG MONTGOMERY COUNTY EDUCATORS. THE DIRECT RESULT HAS BEEN HELP FOR MANY FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHO PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HELPED BEFORE. (PRG)