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Guided by members of an advisory committee that met in Boston, Massachusetts on December 7, 2001, the guidelines offered here provide specific recommendations for assessing and responding to domestic violence in child health settings. The guidelines also speak to the need for child health providers to engage in, model, and take leadership in delivering effective primary prevention of domestic violence, as well as other types of family and community violence, by highlighting violence prevention during well child and other routine visits. Part 1 of the guidelines presents an overview of the impact of domestic violence on children and adolescents, and the rationale for regular and universal assessment for domestic violence in child health settings. Part 2 addresses dilemmas that providers may encounter in discussing domestic violence with parents of their patients and adolescents. The following part contains consensus guidelines for assessing for intimate partner violence when your patient is a child or adolescent, and responding to intimate partner violence when your patient is a child or adolescent. The final part recommends elements to create a clinical environment that effectively responds to domestic violence. Appendices include position statements of medical and health organizations, and information on indicators of abuse, reporting requirements, and additional material. 72 references.