ON JANUARY 1, 1972, FOUR MEDICAL REFEREES OR 'CONFIDENTIAL DOCTORS' WERE APPOINTED WHO SERVE AS CONTACT PERSONS TO PEDIATRICIANS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD ABUSE. SINCE THE DOCTORS ARE PLEDGED NOT TO DISCLOSE CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE TO THE AUTHORITIES, PEDIATRICIANS MAY RECEIVE ADVICE WITHOUT VIOLATING THEIR PROFESSIONAL SECRECY. THE CONFIDENTIAL DOCTORS, WHO ARE INDEPENDENT FULL-TIME PEDIATRICIANS, HAVE TWO MAIN TASKS; IMPROVED IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE, AND COLLECTION OF DATA CONCERNING CHILD ABUSE IN THE NETHERLANDS. WHENEVER THE CONFIDENTIAL DOCTORS RECEIVE KNOWLEDGE OF A CHILD BY REFERRING HIM TO SOCIAL AGENCIES, THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION BOARD, AND OTHER AGENCIES. THE CONFIDENTIAL DOCTORS DO NOT TAKE ACTIVE STEPS THEMSELVES AND CAN ONLY DISCLOSE THE NAME OF THE NOTIFIER WITH THE LATTER'S CONSENT. IN ADDITION, THE DOCTORS REPORT RELEVANT INFORMATION ON EACH CASE TO A NATIONAL CENTRAL REGISTER FOR CHILD ABUSE. FINALLY, THE DOCTOR PROVIDES ORGANIZATIONAL AFTERCARE BY CHECKING AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH THE NOTIFIER TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE ADVICE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED. SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS, THE LONE ADVISOR HAS EVOLVED INTO A TEAM CONSISTING OF A CONFIDENTIAL DOCTOR (SPENDING AN AVERAGE OF 1 DAY A WEEK ON HIS PART-TIME ADVISORY WORK), A HIGHLY QUALIFIED CLERICAL ASSISTANT, AND A SOCIAL WORKER. ALTHOUGH NO PRECISE NUMBERS ARE AVAILABLE, IT MAY BE SAID THAT THE CONFIDENTIAL DOCTORS HAVE IMPROVED THE DETECTION, TREATMENT, AND KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD ABUSE IN THE NETHERLANDS. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES BIBLIOGRAHICAL FOOTNOTES. (SAJ)