THE STUDY COLLECTED DATA THROUGH MAIL-OUT QUESTIONNAIRES, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH A SAMPLE OF THE STAFFS OF 50 OACAS, AND EXAMINATION OF CHILD ABUSE CASE FILE RECORDS IN A SAMPLE OF 8 OACAS. THE STUDY ASSESSED ONLY PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES IN HANDLING CHILD ABUSE CASES, AND NOT THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CARE AND TREATMENT PROVIDED BY OACAS. FINDINGS SHOW THAT THE SMALLER, RURAL, NORTHERN ONTARIO COMMUNITIES HAVE PROBLEMS IN TREATING CHILD ABUSE BECAUSE SERVICES AND MEDICAL SPECIALISTS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY. MOREOVER, ABUSING FAMILIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FRIENDS OR RELATIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS. FURTHER, NO STRATEGIES HAVE YET BEEN DEVISED TO DEAL SUCCESSFULLY WITH CHILD ABUSE AMONG INDIANS. ALL COMMUNITIES REQUIRE EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON CHILD ABUSE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS. CHILD BATTERY REPRESENTS BUT A SMALL ELEMENT IN THE CASELOADS OF MOST OACAS AND SOCIAL WORKERS CONTINUE TO NEED TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY RISKS. MOREOVER, OACAS HAVE NOT EXTENSIVELY DEVELOPED GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING AND TREATING CHILD ABUSE. EXISTING GUIDELINES VARY GREATLY FROM ONE ORGANIZATION TO ANOTHER AND ARE OFTEN NOT IN WRITING. ALSO, SOCIAL WORKERS IN MANY OACAS DESIRE MORE EXPLICIT GUIDELINES. MANY SOCIETIES ARE PLAGUED BY INEXPERIENCED STAFF WITH POOR CASE HANDLING RESULTS, AND FEW SOCIAL WORKERS INTERVIEWED FELT CONFIDENT ABOUT THEIR INTERVIEW AND TREATMENT SKILLS. OTHER FINDINGS COVER THE PROPENSITY OF OACAS TO REMOVE CHILDREN FROM THEIR HOMES, INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION, THE STATUS OF GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES FOR REMOVING CHILDREN FROM THEIR HOMES, REFERRING CASES TO THE COURTS, AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THUS, THE STUDY FOUND THAT WHILE SOME AGENCIES USE GOOD GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES, MANY DO NOT; FURTHER, CHILD PROTECTION VARIES FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ONTARIO PROVINCE INTERVENE WITH STRONG LEADERSHIP TO IMPROVE MATTERS. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN TABLES OF OACAS GUIDELINES AND A QUESTIONNAIRE. FOR RELATED DOCUMENTS, SEE NCJ 65120 AND 65122. (PAP)