Analyzed polygamy in one society to provide a beginning point for practitioners and scholars to consider how to work with polygamous families transculturally. Data on 25 Bedouin-Arab children (aged 6-12 yrs) from Rahat, Israel who were born to senior mothers of polygamous families were collected from student files and interviews with the children's teachers and with 17 mothers (aged 22-35 yrs). Mothers complained of somatic symptoms, economic problems, poor relations with the husband, and competition and jealousy between the co-wives and among the co-wives' children. Children had a variety of behavioural problems, and below average academic achievement. The authors conclude that social work practice should recognize the cultural and personal significance of polygamy to family members; appreciate the significance of polygamy to children's functioning; select children as a target system for intervention; and reinforce the Islamic value base for interventions.