Despite thirty years of legislation, research and costly protection services, physical abuse of children remains an apparently intractable problem. Reviewing the research, Bill Gillham traces the progression from early psychiatric explanations of abuse to the present-day environmental emphasis. He analyses the social and political implications for preventative action, and the clear conclusion is that child maltreatment cannot be reduced by crisis-driven professional action. The Facts About Child Physical Abuse will be of great interest and value to all social workers, teachers, medical and nursing personnel, and clinical and educational psychologists.