THE MEDICAL PRACTICE'S MEMBERS VISITED A SPECIAL UNIT OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN (NSPCC) AND DECIDED TO ADOPT ITS PRINCIPLES IN A PREVENTIVE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WAS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT MOST CHILD ABUSERS ARE NORMAL, CARING PARENTS WHO ARE AFRAID TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP TO DEAL WITH THEIR STRESSES. A TEAM APPROACH, USING BOTH THE PHYSICIAN AND HEALTH VISITORS, WAS USED, TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES RECEIVED CONSISTENT ADVICE AND CONTINUOUS, PERSONAL CARE. BEFORE BIRTH, RISK FACTORS SUCH AS HISTORY OR DEPRESSION, MARITAL DISCORD, OR VIOLENCE IN EITHER PARENT, PARENTS' CURRENT ATTITUDES TOWARD THE PREGNANCY HAD WHETHER THE PREGNANCY WAS PLANNED, WERE IDENTIFIED FOR EACH PATIENT. AFTER BIRTH, ROUTINE DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING EXAMINATIONS OF THE BABY, WERE USED AS OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATE PARENTS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR CHILD ABUSE AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP IF THEY FELT THEY COULD NOT COPE WITH THEIR CHILD. EACH BABY WAS SEEN AT 6 WEEKS, 6 MONTHS, 10 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS, 30 MONTHS, AND 42 MONTHS OF AGE. DATA FROM THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THE PROGRAM'S OPERATION INDICATE THAT THE PROGRAM SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE INCIDENCE OF BABY BATTERING IN THE PRACTICE'S PATIENTS. NSPCC CASE CONFERENCES FOR CHILDREN UNDER AGE 5 YEARS IN THE PRACTICE HAVE AVERAGED 0.5 PER 1000 CHILDREN PER YEAR, COMPARED WITH AN EXPECTED RATE OF 4.5 TO 4.7 PER YEAR BASED ON NSPCC DATA FOR THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC AREA. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS PREVENTIVE TEAM APPROACH BE USED ELSEWHERE, THAT PARENTS BE REASSURED THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE SYMPATHETIC HELP RATHER THAN PUNISHMENT FOR CHILD BATTERING, AND THAT THE PUBLIC BE EDUCATED TO HELP RATHER THAN CONDEMN ABUSING PARENTS. PARENTS SHOULD BE INVITED TO ATTEND PARTS OF SOME CASE CONFERENCES. ONE TABLE AND TWO REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)