This paper describes a preliminary attempt to apply a systems model-the ''Total Cycle Time'' approach-to re-engineering the children's services program in a county social service department. Total Cycle Time is a measure of the amount of time between the idea for a product and its final delivery to a customer. The objective is to reduce this amount of time by analyzing the entire production system by eliminating activities which do not add value. Applied to reducing the children's services caseload and helping the county respond to budgetary constraints, this approach seems to be worth further exploration.