Presented at the Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education in 1979, the paper extensively reviews the literature on child abuse, and provides a knowlege base to generate constellations of skills to guide child abuse practitioners' activity in dealing with child abuse cases. A multicausal model encompassing the interactive nature of the various elements involved in child abuse is suggested. Studies reviewed include those investigating hormonal influence, genetic factors, brain dysfunction, aggressive behavior, family size, marital discord, and the role of the child in abuse. Two major social work responsibilities in respect to child abuse are underlined by the research. On one level, it is proposed that social workers need preactive skills designed to identify potential child abusers before violence to a child occurs. On the other level, it is suggested that social work skills must be directed to assisting families in establishing more meaningful relationships and communication patterns with each other, as well as in learning appropriate child-rearing and disciplining skills so that further incidents of child abuse will not occur. (Author/DLS)