MALTREATMENT OF CHILDREN OCCURS IN A SOCIAL CONTEXT WHICH PERMITS IT, ESPECIALLY ONE OFFERING SUPPORT IN LAW AND CUSTOM FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN, AND ONE WHICH ALLOWS AND EVEN ENCOURAGES ISOLATION OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONS FROM POTENT PROSOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS (SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORKS WHICH FOSTER BEHAVIOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO POSITIVE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT). SCHOOLS HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE HUMAN ECOLOGY OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. BY MODELING NONVIOLENT INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, PARTICULARLY NONVIOLENT SOCIAL CONTROL, THE SCHOOL COULD SHAPE THE BEHAVIOR OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. BY ACTING AS A SUPPORT SYSTEM (FEEDBACK AND RESOURCES), THE SCHOOL COULD BUILD SOCIAL NETWORKS TO REDUCE THE ISOLATION OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS. SCHOOLS COULD ALSO WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY ABUSING PARENTS, SUPPORT THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM BY ASSUMING SPECIAL SUPPORTIVE ROLES IN RELATION TO STUDENTS WHO ARE FOSTER CHILDREN, AND THROUGH A PROGRAM OF PARENT EDUCATION AND LIFE-MANAGEMENT-SKILLS TRAINING, AID IN PRIMARY PREVENTION PARTICULARLY IF SUCH PROGRAMS INVOLVE MODELING AND DIRECT SERVICES. ABUSED CHILDREN NEED ADVOCATES IF THEY ARE TOO SURVIVE PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHICALLY. THROUGH ITS GIVEN CONTACT WITH SUCH CHILDREN, THE SCHOOL IS IN A STRATEGIC POSITION TO ACT AS ADVOCATE FOR ABUSED CHILDREN HAVING NO SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)