Presented are federal standards designed to synthesize and describe the knowledge available on the prevention and treatment of child abuse and negect. A summary chapter (Chapter I) covers background information, organization and content of the standards, and utilization of the standards. Chapter II discusses the relationships among children, adults, families, and society and examines the interactions that occur between them; reviews the causes of child abuse and neglect; considers definitional issues; and provides the goals that the standards are designed to achieve in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect. Chapter III (which makes up the bulk of the document) contains the standards which are presented in 11 separate sections: state law, legal rights, and research and evaluation (three sections which are applicable to all service systems); and state authority, local authority, physical health, mental health, education, courts, law enforcement, and prevention and correction (eight self-contained units directed primarily to persons working within the indicated organizational context or substantive area). A glossary is appended which defines all major terms used in the standards. (SBH)