THE INTRODUCTION PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR THE SERIES OF ARTICLES. IT STATES THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILD REARING PATTERNS, BUT LITTLE SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE BY CHILD PROTECTIVE AND FAMILY SERVICE AGENCIES TO DETERMINE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE DIFFERENCES. AN ARTICLE ON THE SAMOAN CULTURE DELINEATES THE SAMOAN FAMILY STRUCTURE, AN EXTENDED FAMILY THAT INCLUDES ALL RELATIVES NO MATTER HOW DISTANT. IN SAMOA CHILD REARING IS STRICT, SANCTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT BY RIDICULE OR PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT, AND CHILDREN OFTEN ADOPT SURROGATE PARENTS WITHIN THE EXTENDED FAMILY. CHILD ABUSE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS IS DISCUSSED VIS A VIS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHILD ABUSE AND PREVENTION ACT OF 1974. ANOTHER ARTICLE DISCUSSES MINORITY GROUP REPRESENTATION IN THE SELF-HELP GROUP PARENTS ANONYMOUS, FINDS IT TO BE LOW, AND SUGGESTS THAT A SYSTEMATIC NATIONAL EFFORT BE MADE TO REACH MINORITY GROUPS. A FEDERALLY FUNDED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PROJECT IN ALASKA WHICH SEEKS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM OF ISOLATED NATIVE FAMILIES BY OUTREACH SOCIAL WORKERS IS OUTLINED. IN OTHER ARTICLES IT IS STATED THAT THE AMERICAN FAMILY MUST BE REASSESSED WITHIN AN ETHNICALLY PLURALISTIC CONTEXT AND PROGRAMS MUST BE DEVELOPED THAT RELATE TO SPECIFIC NEW ETHNIC NEEDS AND CONSTITUENCIES. PROFESSIONALS IN HUMAN SERVICES MUST CONSIDER CULTURAL DIFFERENTIALS AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAMS MUST BE DEVELOPED. LASTLY, CHILD ABUSE AND FAMILY SERVICES TO CHICANOS AND BLACKS MUST BE IMPROVED. TITLES AND ADDRESSES OF 12 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE FUNDED CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS DESIGNED TO MEET NEEDS OF SPECIFIC CULTURAL GROUPS ARE LISTED. (MJW)