are to be announced in two weeks, the Health and Social Services Minister revealed yesterday.

The task force would include doctors, social workers, nursery school teachers, and others involved in child care, he said.

The Hon. Quinton Edness was responding to complaints from a mother whose baby was physically abused while in day care.

Current laws did not sufficiently protect children from abuse, said Mrs. Toni D'Amato. And she was dissatisfied with Family Services' handling of child abuse cases.

Mrs. D'Amato further said Mr. Edness had promised her a review of her case in July and had so far failed to produce any report of it.

But she was especially upset that the woman who abused her 10-month-old was still caring for children in her home after being convicted of the offence in Magistrates' Court in May.

Mr. Edness agreed, saying: "I don't agree that anyone who has been convicted of abuse should continue teaching children. But we don't have legal controls over persons looking after five or less children in their homes.'' The rules regarding child sitters were soon to be changed, he added. One of the task force's jobs would be to look into amendments.

Mrs. D'Amato, however, said she still wanted a review of her individual case.

"I want the review because I am a member of the Coalition for the Protection of Children and for my own personal gain regarding all the inadequacies and shortcomings of the Department of Family Services,'' she said.

She said the department had been slow in dealing with her complaints. She and her baby were not offered any counselling and she was not kept informed about any progress in the case.

Mr. Edness had invited her submissions on the case in July and she had made them, she said. But she had not heard from him since.

She said the Coalition was lobbying Government for legal changes to suspend the licence of anyone suspected of child abuse pending the outcome of their trial and to revoke the licence of anyone convicted of child abuse.

Mr. Edness noted the woman found guilty of abusing Mrs. D'Amato's child, Filomena Cabral, was appealing her conviction. Therefore, he could not carry out the review until her appeal was heard.

But Mrs. D'Amato said: "No date has been set for the appeal and it's four or five months (since the hearing) and the transcripts from the trial have not even been typed up.'' In the meantime, the Minister said he was setting up a task force to look into child sex and physical abuse on the Island and how children could be better protected against it.

It would also see whether what he believed was a "growing trend'' in child abuse could be slowed through education or other means.

And it would review how Family Services responded to child abuse allegations.

It could be that more child abuses cases were being reported, Mr. Edness said.

"But my inclination is there is in fact more abuse going on for the same reasons it is in other societies, such as imperfections in the rearing of children and abuse of alcohol and other things leading to low esteem. It's a complex area.'' Mr. Edness further noted that under current laws -- which were soon to be changed -- his hands were tied in barring Ms Cabral from continuing to care for children in her home.

Sitters looking after five or less children did not have to be licensed, he said. So Ms Cabral had no licence that Government could revoke or suspend pending the outcome of her appeal.

This was the reason Government was seeking to change laws to screen and licence any sitter caring for children at home, even if the number was fewer than five.