Information on the prevention of child maltreatment is provided, as well as methods and programs to respond to the maltreatment of children with disabilities, ages birth to 5 years. Challenges to providing effective service delivery are addressed, along with the family perspective and total family needs. Risk factors that affect family functioning are addressed, with attention to: the issue of parents who as children were subjected to maltreatment, normal infant development patterns and distorted patterns, responses that may occur when working with adult survivors, and working with new mothers and postpartum depression. In considering alternative family designs and risk factors, attention is directed to single-parent families, step families, foster and adoptive families, teen parents, extended families, and characteristics of strong families. Child neglect, substance abuse, domestic abuse, and community violence are also discussed. The value of assistance from various resources is considered, including parent-to-parent support, training of foster parents to be parent aides, family resource centers, "Friends of the Family" program in Baltimore, Maryland, mothers as mentors, home visitation programs, and parent training and information centers. Appendices provide information on 10 model support programs, regional Parent Training Information (PTI) centers and the states they serve, and the Family Preservation Act. (Each chapter contains references.) (SW)