ACCORDING TO THE 1970 CENSUS, ABOUT 238,000 CHILDREN RESIDE IN FULL-TIME CARE AND TREATMENT INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THESE INCLUDE FACILITIES FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED, FOR MULTIPLE HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, AND FOR THE EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED, AS WELL AS GROUP HOMES. INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN (PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL) HAS BEEN A SUBJECT OF GROWING PUBLIC CONCERN. HOWEVER, LITTLE DATA IS AVAILABLE ON THE INSTITUTIONS THEMSELVES, THEIR NUMBER AND TYPE, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN EACH INSTITUTION, AND ON OTHER FACETS OF THE CHILD CARE NETWORK. THE USEFULNESS OF RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS HAS ALSO BEEN DEBATED. IN JUNE 1977, THE NATIONAL CENTER ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND THE COLLEGE OF HUMAN ECOLOGY AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY BROUGHT TOGETHER 80 MEMBERS OF INSTITUTIONAL STAFFS, ADMINISTRATORS, PHYSICIANS, RESEARCHERS, FEDERAL AND STATE OFFICIALS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF INSTITUTIONAL CHILD ABUSE. THEIR RECOMMENDATION INCLUDED SHORT-TERM STRATEGIES, SUCH AS PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS, LEGISLATIVE ACTION PROMOTING STANDARD RIGHTS FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER ISSUES; MID-TERM STRATEGIES, SUCH AS GUARANTEED APPROPRIATE TREATMENT, A PLAN TO RETURN RESIDENTS TO THE FAMILY OR COMMUNITY, ELIMINATION OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT; AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES, SUCH AS CLOSING ALL LARGE INSTITUTIONS, FUNDING CLIENT-SPECIFIC SERVICES, RESEARCH OF PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES, AND OTHERS. EIGHT REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.