INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 352 PARENTS WHO HAD APPLIED TO GUIDANCE AND COURT CLINICS BUT WERE DENIED SERVICE. THE INTERVIEWS COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF DATA INCLUDING PATHS TO EARLIER SOURCES OF AID, EXPERIENCES WITH THE CLINICS, THE INFORMANT'S REACTIONS TO THE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE, THE CHILD'S BEHAVIOR BEFORE AND AFTER CONTACT WITH IT, AND THE SOCIOCULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAMILY. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT THE UNDERPRIVILEGED WERE NOT INDIFFERENT TO THE PROBLEMS OF THEIR CHILDREN (MORE BLACKS THAN WHITES SOUGHT CLINIC HELP); THERE WERE NO CLASS DIFFERENCES AMONG THESE SEEKING GUIDANCE HELP; FAMILIES WITH PROBLEMS MADE CONSIDERABLE USE OF NONPSYCHIATRIC PERSONNEL; FAMILIES FELT COMFORTABLE IN THE CLINIC ATMOSPHERE, PARTICULARLY IN GUIDANCE CLINICS AS COMPARED TO COURT CLINICS. FAMILIES OF LOWER STATUS, HOWEVER, FELT LESS COMFORTABLE IN CHILD GUIDANCE CLINICS, EXPECTED LESS, AND WERE LESS CRITICAL OF THE ADVICE THEY RECEIVED FROM PERSONNEL. MANY FAMILIES WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN DENIED SERVICE OR NEVER REACHED THE AGENCY TO WHICH THEY WERE REFERRED, AND MANY FOUND THE WORLD OF AGENCIES AND PROFESSIONALS A LABYRINTH OF CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE IMPORTANT UNMET NEEDS IN THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF DELINQUENCY. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT SOME FORMAL MECHANISM BE ESTABLISHED WHEREBY SPECIFIC PROFESSIONALS WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDYING AND ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN AND COORDINATING THE WORK OF VARIOUS CHILD AGENCIES. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)