OFTEN, ACCURATE STATISTICS ON CHILD ABUSE ARE UNAVAILABLE BECAUSE MOST CHILD ABUSE INCIDENTS TAKE PLACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND ARE PASSED OFF AS 'ACCIDENTS' WHEN MEDICAL HELP IS SOUGHT. ALSO, VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IS OFTEN THE OUTGROWTH OF VIOLENCE BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE, AND THIS INTERSPOUSAL VIOLENCE CREATES A CYCLE. QUOTATIONS FROM EXPERTS ILLUMINATE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THIS GENERATION-TO-GENERATION PATTERN. COMMUNITY GROUPS CAN BREAK THE CYCLE BY SETTING UP HOTLINES, THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THROUGH RESOURCE AND REFERRAL CENTERS. ALSO NEEDED ARE CRISIS SHELTERS FOR BATTERED CHILDREN, SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PARENTS, TRAINING FOR POLICE, AND EMERGENCY SHELTERS FOR BATTERED WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS OPERATING IN TEXAS IN 1978 ARE IDENTIFIED. PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN SETTING UP THESE PROGRAMS COVER FUNDING, RECORDKEEPING, PERSONNEL NEEDED, THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS, AND TRAINING AND EVALUATION. SAMPLE FORMS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH ARE ILLUSTRATED, AS ARE SAMPLE BUDGETS AND EXCERPTS FROM MANUALS USED BY EXISTING PROGRAMS. (GLR)