PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE OF CHILD ABUSE HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TREATMENT MODELS FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON CASES OF SEVERE PHYSICAL ABUSE AND EXTREME NEGLECT OF CHILDREN. WHILE THIS MAY BE REQUIRED AS A TECHNIQUE OF CRISIS INTERVENTION, IT SHOULD NOT BE PERCEIVED AS THE PRIMARY APPROACH FOR CONFRONTING CHILD MALTREATMENT. EMPIRICAL STUDIES HAVE POINTED TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY DYSFUNCTION AND IMPROVERISHED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. THE FUNDAMENTAL APPROACH TO CHILD MALTREATMENT SHOULD AIM AT RELIEVING THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH CHILD MALTREATMENT THRIVES AS A SYMPTOM OF OVERALL FAMILY DISINTEGRATION. WHERE MOBILITY AND SOCIAL ISOLATION ARE EXPERIENCED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF FAMILIES OTHERWISE AT RISK FOR INADEQUATE CHILD CARE, THE NEED FOR A FORMAL SYSTEM OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS EVIDENT. WHILE ONE-TO-ONE INTERVENTION IS IDEAL, NATURAL HELPING NETWORKS SHOULD BE INCLUDED. PILOT PROGRAMS AND MODELS FOR THIS APPROACH ARE FOUND IN PARENTS ANONYMOUS, THE USE OF HEALTH VISITORS IN COMBINATION WITH FAMILY-CENTERED CHILDBIRTH TO PROMOTE STRONGER SOCIAL ATTACHMENTS AND FACILITATE PROTECTIVE SERVICES, AND THE USE OF SOCIAL WORKERS AS CONSULTANTS. THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THESE ONGOING NATURAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR FAMILIES UNDER STRESS IS ESSENTIAL IF CHILD MALTREATMENT BEHAVIOR IS TO BE REDUCED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)