USING TWO MAILINGS AND A TELEPHONE FOLLOWUP, THE INSTITUTIONS WERE QUERIED AS TO WHETHER THEIR TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFER INSTRUCTION IN THE AREA OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE TYPE AND FORMAT OF INSTRUCTION, THE MANDATORY OR ELECTIVE NATURE OF THE INSTRUCTION, GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE COURSE OFFERINGS, AND THE NATURE OF THE CURRICULUM AND THE GUIDING RATIONALE FOR OFFERING OR NOT OFFERING SUCH INSTRUCTION. IT WAS FOUND THAT A MAJORITY OF TEACHING EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFER INSTRUCTION IN THIS AREA, THAT COURSES CONTAINING SUCH INSTRUCTION WERE MOST OFTEN TAUGHT UNDER THE HEADING OF EDUCATION, AND THAT 57 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE CORRECT IN INDICATING THAT TEACHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE. HOWEVER, IF THE POPULATION UNDER CONSIDERATION IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATION, IT MUST BE CONCLUDED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO AGREEMENT ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN AN INSTRUCTION SEQUENCE DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND THAT A VERY MODEST AMOUNT OF TIME IS BEING DEVOTED TO INSTRUCTION IN THIS AREA. FURTHER, BASED ON THE FINDINGS IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A MINIMUM, PREPARATORY PROGRAM SHOULD PROVIDE INSTRUCTION IN IDENTIFYING ABUSE AND MAKING FORMAL REQUESTS FOR INVESTIGATION, AND THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH INSTRUCTION A CERTIFICATION EFFORT SHOULD BE INITIATED. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)