FROM A REVIEW OF LITERATURE, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT SOME CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT CAN BE EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN FAMILIES IN WHICH A PARENT IS ADDICTED TO HEROIN; HOWEVER, FEW CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT STUDIES HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ASSESS THE EXTENT TO WHICH DRUG ADDICTION IS INVOLVED. AT THE WASHINGTONIAN CENTER FOR DRUG ADDICTIONS, A PRIVATE, VOLUNTARY, MULTIMODALITY TREATMENT CENTER FOR DRUG ADDICTION AND ALCOHOLISM IN BOSTON, MASS., A SAMPLE OF 100 OPIATE ADDICTS AND 100 ALCOHOLICS CARING FOR CHILDREN UNDER 18 WERE BEING INTERVIEWED AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT FOR INFORMATION ON THE FOLLOWING: (1) DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, (2) HISTORY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, (3) CHILDHOOD HISTORY, (4) CARE/ABUSE/NEGLECT OF CHILDREN, AND (5) THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAGES IN THE CYCLE OF ALCOHOL OR OPIATE ABUSE AND CHILD CARE/ABUSE/NEGLECT. ADDITIONAL MEASURES INCLUDE THE MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY, SURVEY ON BRINGING UP CHILDREN (HALFER), AND THE SCHEDULE OF RECENT EXPERIENCE (HOLMES). INITIAL RESULTS INDICATE THAT NOT ALL OPIATE ADDICTS SERIOUSLY ABUSE OR NEGLECT THEIR CHILDREN, ALTHOUGH MANY APPEAR TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN CHILDREARING SIMILAR TO THOSE EXPECTED IN A SAMPLE OF LOW-INCOME PARENTS, PARENTS FROM DISTURBED BACKGROUNDS, OR CHRONICALLY ILL PARENTS. MANY OF THE ADDICTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN AND HAVE MADE ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN HELP WITH CHILD CARE. ADDICTS REPORT THAT THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THEIR CHILDREN AS 'SICK' AND REPORT CONSEQUENCES TO THEIR CHILDREN SUCH AS PREOCCUPATION WITH ILLNESS, GUILT, AND ATTEMPTS TO CARE FOR THE PARENT. THE MOST DISRUPTED CHILD CARE IS PLAY. (RCB)