Efforts to revolutionize the child welfare system must consider social trends and forces. Encouraging trends that child welfare reformers might be able to harness include biotechnology, availability of medical care, gender equality, awareness of parenting skills, and service sector growth. Discouraging trends include increasing rate of divorce and…

The first and central issue in children's services is the extent to which government may limit or supplant parental action in the control, nurture, and direction of children. Three major governmental approaches include prohibiting behavior; prescribing behavior; and taking direct protective action. There are two legal issues related to prevention…

This keynote address reviews previous efforts at developing a research policy agenda for child abuse and neglect, reviews medical research directions in child sexual abuse, suggests the author's views of potential research areas, and suggests a policy infrastructure to further implementation of the conference's proposals. (DB)