Although many clinicians use drawing tasks to assess children who have been exposed to family violence, few professionals are aware of current research in this area. Professionals should be apprised of the graphic indicators of child abuse in drawings, reliable art-based assessment tools, and legal and ethical principles surrounding the use of drawing tasks in the clinical setting. This article presents general principles for the use of drawings in the assessment of children from violent homes. Because of a lack of detailed knowledge in these areas, clinicians may misinterpret children's art expressions and may be insensitive to the unique qualities of art expression in the assessment of child abuse and neglect. The paper offers resources on the use of drawings in assessment as well as suggestions for enhancing clinical skills in this area. The use of drawings for client appraisal is a complex task which requires understanding in many aspects of art expression. The clinician must uncover what the art product says about a child as well as what the child says about the creative act. The professional should consistently update his or her interpretation skills and when in doubt, should consult with a professionally credentialed art therapist. (RJM)