A case control study of the families of 35 physically abused and neglected children was conducted to examine some of the family characteristics and sociocultural factors which may contribute to physical abuse and neglect. The cases were matched for sex, ethnic group and as far as possible for age with children admitted to the children's hospital for other medical illness. Physically abused children were more likely to come from disrupted, reconstructed or single parent families and these children had separation experiencesfrom their families during early childhoodfor various reasons including periods of family crisis, parental death, financial difficulties, inability to cope with large family size and cultural beliefs and superstition. Social isolation, alcoholism and drug abuse were also shown to be statistically significant amongst these families.