Frequently Asked Questions

State law (see A.R.S. 8-807 K ) 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.

Yes. Contact us for details.

Go through the chain of command by contacting your caseworker and their supervisor. Visit https://dcs.az.gov/about/contact for the list of DCS offices and telephone numbers. If that does not work please contact the DCS Office of the Ombudsman, https://dcs.az.gov/resources/resolve-complaint-or-disagreement

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.

Engaging in shared parenting with a child’s primary family can help the child adjust to your foster home and increase the chance of reunification. Remember to always abide by any guidelines provided by the child’s DCS case manager. Discuss any questions or concerns about shared parenting with the child’s DCS case manager and/or your licensing worker. https://dcs.az.gov/sharedparenting

A visitation and contact plan is part of every foster child’s case plan. As stated in DCS’s Go-To- Guide, this contact “preserves and enhances relationships with and attachments to the family of origin.”

The visitation plan is developed by the child’s DCS caseworker in collaboration with the child’s parent(s) and the child (if age appropriate). Sometimes the specifics of a visitation plan (for example, frequency or length of visits) are changed by the DCS caseworker in response to a court order. Visitation should occur in the most natural environment possible and with the least level of supervision possible while ensuring the child’s safety.