abuse.

It was criticised for not including anyone from the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

Said co-chairwoman of the coalition Mrs. Margaret Hern: "We are very disappointed the group is not more broad-based.

"It is very heavily weighted by Government employees -- by that I mean civil servants.'' Mrs. Hern also voiced dismay that the Physical Abuse Centre, the churches and the Sunshine League were not represented.

But Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness defended membership of the task force.

"We could not put everybody on it,'' he said.

Mr. Edness stressed, however, groups involved with abused children could have a say.

"I urge those people who work in this particular area to make representations to the task force. The task force is gearing up to make it possible for this to happen.'' The group's chairman is former Attorney General Mr. Saul Froomkin.

Deputy chairman is ex-director of social services Sen. Norma Cox Astwood, a psychologist.

Eight other people have been appointed to the task force, which will carry out a wide-ranging investigation.

They include Dr. Guy Fowle, a clinical psychologist; Acting Supt. Vic Richmond, of Bermuda Police; Dr. June Hill, paediatrician and chairman of the Child Protection Team at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital; Mrs. Jennifer Sheppard, guidance counsellor at Warwick Academy; and Mr. John Musson, a professional counsellor in private practice.

Also named yesterday were Mrs. Joeann Smith, senior education officer for special education; Mrs. Sharol Simmons, a psychiatric social worker (clinical) and chief medical social worker of King Edward; and Mrs. Luelle Todd, who has a Master of Social Work degree and is director of child and family services at the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

The task force will focus on more than just physical and sexual abuse.

Among other areas covered will be the ability of Government and community services to cope with the problem; training of those dealing with victims; education programmes; and ways of curbing abuse, such as treating offenders.

Mrs. Hern welcomed the setting up of a task force, and the appointment of Mr.

Froomkin.

But she added: "We are disappointed that we are not represented. We certainly offered to be involved.

"We will, however, be making representations to the group.'' Mrs. Hern said she thought the Physical Abuse Centre, Church, and Sunshine League should also have had members.

A Physical Abuse Centre spokeswoman said: "We are happy that we will be able to make representations to the task force.

"We don't deal with children directly, we deal with women.'' She did not criticise the task force's membership.

Mr. Edness said yesterday: "I am sorry that the coalition feel this way.

There are a lot of people who are professionally involved with children who know about child abuse.

"It is impossible to put everybody on the task force.'' Mr. Edness said many people on the group would be involved in administrative tasks such as "receiving, evaluating, collating and disseminating'' information.

"I could not have all professionals on the task force.''