Chapter 3 : Section 4

Contact with Children, Parents and Out-of-Home Caregivers

Procedures

Required Contact with Children and Caregivers (Parent/Out-of-Home Caregiver)

If a child is placed into out-of-home care by staff other than the assigned DCS Specialist, the assigned DCS Specialist must have telephone contact with the out-of-home caregiver and the child (if the child is able to communicate by phone) within 24 hours of placement; and face-to-face contact with the child and out-of-home caregiver in the out-of-home caregiver's home within fifteen (15) calendar days of placement. Thereafter, the assigned DCS Specialist must have monthly face-to-face contact with the caregiver and child.

The assigned DCS Specialist, or other, designated DCS Specialist who is assigned ongoing responsibility for the monthly contact, discusses and assesses the following with the child(ren) and the caregiver(s):

• the safety of the child;

• the child's and the caregiver's relationship;

• the ability of the caregiver to meet the child's needs;

• the safety of the physical home environment such as any observable hazardous conditions (no electricity, no water, exposed wiring, dangerous objects, harmful substances, external locks on bedroom doors, etc.) that may immediately threaten the child’s safety;

• the case plan including the Permanency Goal, identified behavioral changes and services, and progress toward the Permanency Goal;

• the Family Contact Plan, including parenting time and additional opportunities for the parent to engage in the child's routine care and social-emotional development (i.e. health and educational appointments, extracurricular activities, etc);

• the developmental progress of the child;

• the child's educational, physical health, and emotional and behavioral health status and needs;

• the ability of the child to participate in age and developmentally appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities;

• factors important to the child such as race, class, ethnicity, religion or spirituality, tribal affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other forms of culture that are appropriately considered in the child’s life.

• the child's medical and dental examinations, including required examinations within the first 30 days of removal and ongoing EPSDT visits, including standard medical tests and immunization updates as appropriate;

• the appropriateness and adequacy of services and supports provided to and for the child; and

• the appropriateness and adequacy of services and supports provided to and for the caregiver to maintain the caregiver's ability to care for the child.

Ensure the out-of-home caregiver receives updated Health and Education plans on the child in their care at least once every six months. See Education and Health information in the Guardian Training Materials.

See the Child & Caregiver Visitation Guide (DCS-1592B) for information on interviewing the child and caregiver during monthly face-to-face contacts.

While a monthly contact in the caregiver’s home is preferred, there are occasions when the face-to-face contact with the child may occur outside of the living arrangement. Conduct at least half of the monthly contacts with the child and the caregiver in the caregiver's home. If the child is verbal or able to communicate through other means (such as through writing, an augmentative communication device, sign language, etc.), spend part of at least one visit per month alone with the child.

More frequent face-to-face contact and/or telephone contact from the DCS Specialist between required monthly contacts may be necessary based on the case circumstances.

If a child is placed out of the home, review the placement packet regularly for accuracy.

If a child is placed in a therapeutic congregate care setting (therapeutic group home, residential treatment facility, etc.), monthly contact is required in addition to a review of treatment goals, appropriateness of placement, the need for continuation of the placement, and discharge planning at least once every three (3) months. See Arranging Treatment in a Behavioral Health Inpatient Facility for more information on activities required to review a child’s placement in a residential treatment setting.

Required Contact with Children Remaining in the Home When a Sibling is Placed Out of the Home

When the Permanency Goal for the child in out-of-home care is Family Reunification, conduct ongoing monthly contact with any children remaining in the home even when these children are assessed as safe. Include these child(ren) in the Family Functioning Assessment – Ongoing (FFA) as well as any subsequent FFA.

When the Permanency Goal for the child in out-of-home care is not Family Reunification, monthly contact with the child(ren) who remain in the home and are assessed as safe is not required.

If, during the course of providing services to a child in out-of-home care and the child’s family, there is reason to believe that a child remaining in the home may be unsafe in the home, additional contact and actions may be needed to assess and manage safety. See Present Danger Assessment and Planning.

Required Contact for a Child Placed Out-of-Region

If the child is placed out of the region under a courtesy supervision agreement, the courtesy supervisor may make the monthly face-to-face contact with the child and caregiver instead of the assigned DCS Specialist. The assigned DCS Specialist shall maintain quarterly face-to-face contact with the child.

Required Contact for a Child Placed Out-of-State

If the child is placed out-of-state through an Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), the assigned ICPC Case Manager in the receiving state makes monthly face-to-face contact with the child and caregiver.

If the child is placed out-of-state for therapeutic purposes without supervision being provided through an ICPC agreement, the assigned Behavioral Health Specialist will provide monthly updates to the DCS Specialist. The assigned DCS Specialist maintains monthly telephone contact with the child. This procedure pertains to out-of-state placements in a residential treatment center, inpatient psychiatric facility, rehabilitation program, or similar program.

Required Contact with Parents

If the Permanency Goal is Remain with the Family or Family Reunification, during the monthly face-to-face contact with the parent discuss and assess identified safety threats, risks, parent protective capacities, and the parent’s successes or barriers in making the behavioral changes identified in the case plan. Discuss any change in services or supports the parent may need to achieve the case plan goals. See High Quality Parent Contacts and Parent Contact Guide, DCS-3311B, for more information on monthly parent contacts.

Obtain prior supervisory approval for exceptions to monthly face-to-face contact with the parents when the Permanency Goal is Reunification or Remain with Family. Ongoing exceptions to monthly face-to-face contact shall be reviewed with the parents, team members and the DCS Program Supervisor at the time the case plan is developed and reassessed. An exception may be considered when a parent is incarcerated, or when a parent is out-of-region or out-of-state. If an exception to monthly face-to-face contact with a parent is approved, maintain a minimum of quarterly telephone contact or written correspondence with all parents whose whereabouts are known and whose rights have not been terminated.

This telephone contact or written correspondence must provide the parent the following information:

• name, address, and phone number of the DCS Specialist;

• a description of the conditions that must be met in order for the child to return to the parent's home. See Conditions for Return;

• a description of behavioral changes the parents must achieve prior to the closure of their DCS case;

• a description of services and supports recommended by the Department to assist the parents in meeting the conditions for return and behavioral change goals;

• dates, locations, and contact information for any upcoming staffings and hearings;

• information on the well-being and status of the child, including type of placement, health status, and any significant events, progress, or concerns; and

• the consequences of not participating in reunification services.

If the Permanency Goal is not Remain with Family or Family Reunification, conduct quarterly contact with the parent until the court has ordered termination of the parent-child relationship, granted permanent guardianship of the child, or the child has reached the age of majority. Contact may be face-to-face, written, or by telephone.

Address Confidentiality Program

If a participant notifies the Department of enrollment in the Address Confidentially Program (ACP), the DCS Specialist must notify the DCS Privacy and Security team at Privacy@AZDCS.Gov to confirm the participant is currently enrolled. See DCS 07-12 Address Confidentiality Program for more information.

Documentation

Document face-to-face contact with the child(ren) and caregiver(s) in Notes.

Document the review of the child's Placement Packet in Notes.

Update Guardian to reflect information provided by the out-of-home caregiver on the child’s needs and status in the Health and Education tabs.

File completed Child Placement Packet forms in the hard copy record.

If an ICPC Case Manager or Courtesy Case Manager is responsible for making the ongoing monthly face-to-face visits, add the case manager with ongoing responsibility for the monthly visits to the case.

Effective Date: January 23, 2024

Revision History: February 12, 2016, November 12, 2013, September 30, 2013, November 30, 2012, August 9th, 2017, April 3, 2019, February 1, 2021, December 2, 2021