Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Contact us for details.

State law (see A.R.S. 8-807 I ) allows an individual to petition the Superior Court to request that the Court review the records and tell the Department which records can be released.

Requests may be emailed, faxed or mailed as indicated on the contact us page.

The more information you provide with your request, the faster the Department will be able to respond to your request. Please provide as much information as possible, including full names and dates of birth for the child, the parents and the alleged perpetrator (if a caregiver other than a parent).

The Records Coordinator will notify you when the request has been received, will provide you with periodic updates on the status of the request, and will provide the records to you once they are available.

Arizona's statutes (laws) do not designate an age when a child can be left alone. A parent is responsible for the decisions he or she makes about their children being left alone.  The law does require however, that the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Department of Child Safety (DCS) investigate reports of neglect which include failure to provide supervision that places a child at unreasonable risk of harm. Leaving children alone is included in the category of supervision.

DCS will take a report when a child, who is not capable of caring for him or herself or other children, is left alone. When calls come into DCS, specific questions are asked to help determine if there is a problem for the child. These may include: Does the child know how to reach the parent? Does the child know how to get emergency help? Is there a neighbor to go to? Is someone checking in on the child?

Sometimes police are called to the home. Before removing children, police will often try to make contact with the parent or other responsible person to come and supervise the children. The police are required to report this information to DCS. This could result in a DCS Specialist contacting the children and parent about the report and making an assessment of any needed services.  Parents must use good judgment about their children's capabilities, as they are ultimately responsible. We hope this helps in providing an answer to your question. If you need additional information or wish to speak to someone from DCS, call the Child Abuse Hotline: at 1-888-767-2445.

There are a lot of acronyms inside the foster care system, and when dealing with the state in general. Groups may have titles with several words in them, or a child may have a need that is shortened to save time. Visit the DCS Policy and Procedure Manual site and click Index. https://extranet.azdcs.gov/DCSPolicy/

When a child in foster care comes into your home, you can expect visits from several people with agencies involved in the case.

A case manager with the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) will be the first person you meet. Members of a rapid response behavioral health team will visit within the first 72 hours after the child is placed in your home.

Visit the Contact page on the DCS website.

If you are a licensed foster parent, R21-6-326 requires you to notify DCS and your licensing agency within 24 hours if any of the following incidents occur:

• Injury, illness, change of medication, or medication error that requires medical attention
• Theft of money or property belonging to a foster child
• Significant damage to the property of a foster child
• Injury to others or significant damage to the property of others caused by a foster child
• Using physical restraints to control a foster child’s sudden, out-of-control behavior
• Arrest of a household member or involvement of a household member with law enforcement that does not lead to an arrest
• Household changes that affect the foster parent’s ability to meet the foster child’s needs
• Life-threatening illness, injury, or the death of a household member
• Incidents involving a DCS report or investigation

If you are a licensed foster parent, R21-6-326 requires you to notify DCS and your licensing agency immediately if any of the following incidents occur:

• Death of a foster child
• Unexplained absence of a foster child
• Unauthorized removal or attempted removal of a foster child from the care and supervision of the foster parent
• A serious illness, injury, or mental health crisis of a foster child that requires hospitalization or emergency room treatment
• An allegation or the discovery of a sign of abuse or neglect of a foster child
• Arrest of a foster child or involvement of a foster child with law enforcement that does not lead to an arrest
• Fire or other situation requiring overnight evacuation of the home
• Incidents that involve or are likely to involve the media
• Any other unusual incident that seriously jeopardizes the health, safety, or well-being of a foster child
• Within 24 hours of any of the above noted incidents, licensed foster parents shall complete an Unusual Incident Report form and submit it to their licensing agency.

Unlicensed kinship foster parents are to notify DCS within 2 hours of the following: death of a child or hospitalization (medical or psychiatric), alleged abuse, or other emergency threatening the child’s placement.

Unlicensed kinship foster parents are to notify DCS within 48 hours if the child becomes seriously illness, death of a caregiver, change in family composition, or involvement with law enforcement.