Chapter 3 : Section 6.1

Parenting Time and Family Contact Plan

Procedures

Creating the Family Contact Plan

Upon removal, the Department shall develop, with family members, the out-of-home caregiver and the child, when appropriate, a Family Contact Plan. The Family Contact Plan is a comprehensive, written plan describing the contact between a child in out-of-home care and the child's parents, siblings when placed in separate living arrangements, relatives and others with a significant relationship. The Family Contact Plan may include parenting time and family contact.

Parenting time is scheduled time for the child in out-of-home care and the parents to engage in bonding and parenting activities, including the opportunity for the parent to be a part of the child's daily life. Parenting time may include:

• attending medical appointments;

• extracurricular and school events; and

• working with the out-of-home caregiver in caring for the child such as helping with homework, after school/bedtime routine.

Family contact is time spent between a child in out-of-home care and relatives, siblings in separate living arrangements and other individuals with a significant relationship. Family contact may include:

• phone calls;

• virtual contact; and

• emails.

The Department shall assist the child and the parents in identifying individuals to include in the Family Contact Plan such as friends, relatives, and individuals with significant relationships, including former foster parents, and will make reasonable efforts to provide ongoing contact between the child and these individuals, if possible.

In developing a Family Contact Plan:

• Consider first the child's need for safety, and second, how best to facilitate the goals of family reunification and maintenance of the child’s important connections.

• Consider alternative modes of contact such as phone, mail, or virtual contact in addition to in-person contact (for example, nightly phone or video calls for the parent to read a bedtime story or say goodnight); or if in-person contact is not possible (for example, when a parent is out of state, or incarcerated in a facility that will not allow visitation, see Services for Detained or Incarcerated Parents).

• Parenting time and other family contact should be scheduled to meet the family's needs. Frequency should be increased or decreased as necessary to meet the child's safety, permanency and well-being needs.

• Make every reasonable effort to schedule child transportation, parenting time, and other family contact during non-school hours.

• Consider information obtained from all service providers, parents, out-of-home caregivers and the child, if applicable, to assess the parent's progress in addressing the reasons the child is in out-of-home care and the specific needs of the child to determine when to increase the frequency and duration of contact and parenting time.

• Comply with any court orders regarding family contact and parenting time. If there is a specific court order regarding minimum parenting time, contact the assigned Assistant Attorney General (AAG) before reducing the frequency.

For comprehensive guidance in developing a Parenting Time and Family Contact Plan, see Parenting Time Planning.

Before facilitating contact between the child and the parent or guardian:

• ask the parent or guardian if there is any court order from a Superior Court criminal court, or family court that prohibits contact between the child and the parent or guardian;

• search the Arizona Supreme Court Public Access to Court Information for any cases involving the parent or guardian; and

• consult with the assigned AAG if there is an order from the Superior Court criminal case prohibiting contact.

If a child objects to parenting time, or other family contact, consult the DCS Program Supervisor to develop the family contact plan and identify services or supports to address the child's objections, safety and emotional security.

If conflicts arise around contact and visitation:

• consider the child's safety and well-being as the paramount concern in conflict resolution;

• prioritize the family members and siblings' rights to contact and visitation over the needs or preferences of out-of-home care providers;

• give weight to the Family Contact Plan that best supports the case plan, even if the Family Contact Plan is less convenient or requires additional Department or provider resources; and

• if conflicts are unresolved, explore avenues for seeking resolution, such as a case plan staffing, Child and Family Team meeting, or mediation services through the court system.

Restricting Parenting Time or Sibling Contact

Parenting time or sibling contact may only be restricted or denied between a child in out-of-home-care and the child’s parents or siblings when a court determines that contact endangers the child's physical, mental, moral or emotional health.

If the DCS Specialist becomes aware that parenting time or sibling contact will endanger the child's physical, mental, moral or emotional health, the DCS Specialist should take the following steps:

• Staff with a DCS Program Supervisor, reviewing all case documentation related to the child’s safety and well-being in parenting time or sibling contact, and assess whether there is support for the conclusion that parenting time or sibling contact endangers the child.

• Consult with the child’s Child and Family Team (CFT) to determine what services and/or assessments may be available to determine whether continued contact endangers the child's physical, mental, moral or emotional health.

• If the CFT or no other appropriate professional is available to inform DCS about modification or suspension of contact, meet with a Unit Consultant (see the Unit Psychological Consultation Guide) to identify a parenting time and family contact plan to support the family. Provide the consultant with any documentation regarding parenting time and behavioral health documentation related to the child’s safety and well-being during parenting time.

• Staff with an AAG regarding whether there is sufficient documented evidence to support the claim that contact endangers the child's physical, mental, moral or emotional health.

If, after these steps, it remains the determination of the DCS Specialist and DCS Program Supervisor that parenting time or sibling contact endangers the child, request the AAG to motion the court to limit or restrict contact between the child and the individual(s). The motion must include documentation to support the assertion that parenting time will endanger the child's physical, mental, moral or emotional health.

If there are exigent circumstances that require an immediate request to restrict parenting time, staff with the DCS Program Supervisor and AAG to determine if an emergency motion to suspend parenting time is appropriate.

Unless the court determines that parenting time endangers the child, the DCS Specialist shall not deny contact.

If the court determines that parenting time or contact between a child and their parent(s) will endanger the child’s physical, mental, moral or emotional health, the Department shall maintain contact between the child and their siblings, unless the court has also ordered that sibling contact is contrary to the child’s safety and well-being.

Restricting Contact with Friends, Family, and Other Individuals with Significant Relationship to the Child

If the DCS Specialist becomes aware that contact between a child in out-of-home care and their friends, relatives or other individuals with a significant relationship to the child may not be in the child’s best interest, the DCS Specialist should staff the case with the DCS Program Supervisor to discuss:

• the circumstances leading to contact not being in the child's best interest;

• any modifications to contact that could remedy the concerns; and

• whether or not to request the court to make a determination that continued contact is not in the child's best interest.

If, after staffing the case with the DCS Program Supervisor, it remains the determination of the DCS Specialist and DCS Program Supervisor that it is not in the child’s best interest to continue contact with friends, relatives or other individuals with a significant relationship to the child, consult with the AAG on how to proceed with requesting the court make a determination that continued contact is not in the child’s best interest.

Parenting Time Services and Supports

The following services or supports may be provided by the Department to support the family's needs for parenting time and other family contact when a less restrictive plan cannot be implemented and supervision or monitoring is required to maintain child safety:

• DCS Case Aide

  • Consider referring to a DCS Case Aide when flexibility is needed in the Family Contact Plan, such as plans that include partially unsupervised parenting time or minimal monitoring of the contact.

  • DCS Case Aides may facilitate other family contact when supervision is needed to ensure the safety of the child.

  • DCS Case Aides may facilitate sibling contact, if the out-of-home caregivers are unable to facilitate.

• Parenting Time Services

  • Consider using Parenting Time Services (PTS) when a Family Functioning Assessment indicates that there is a danger threat that cannot be controlled through means other than supervision (changing location, who is present, or when parenting time occurs). See PTS Service Guide.

• Nurturing Parenting Program

  • Consider referring a family to Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP) services when a Family Functioning Assessment indicates that one or more family members has a behavioral change goal that can be achieved by improving in one or more NPP Constructs, and there are no available and accessible community programs that would provide the family an equivalent service.

  • NPP Providers will observe the Parent-Child interaction for thirty minutes each week to document the parents' implementation of the nurturing activity practiced in the parenting skills session.

  • NPP providers will not be responsible for providing supervision of parenting time or transportation of the child.

• Clinically Supervised Parenting Time

  • Consider referring for Clinically Supervised Parenting Time when a Family Functioning Assessment indicates that supervision of parenting time requires a qualified mental health clinician to ensure the safety and well-being of the child. See Clinically Supervised Parenting Time Service Guide.

Ensure authorization for each service is requested according to the Service Referral Approval Matrix, DCS-2434, and when completed, submit the referral packet to the appropriate Regional Resource Unit.

Documentation

Within 60 days of the child(ren)'s removal from the home, document parenting time, and other family contact plans in the Family Contact Plan under the Plans tab in Guardian, including:

• a plan for frequent contact between siblings if the siblings are unable to be placed together; and/or

• the Court’s finding that contact should be restricted, and the modified contact plan.

When the DCS Specialist has assessed that parenting time or sibling contact is contrary to the child's safety and well-being, document the reasons in a Note.

When a DCS Specialist has assessed that contact with friends, relatives, or other individuals with a significant relationship to the child is not in the child's best interest, document the reasons in a Note.

Maintain the NPP, CSPT, PTS or DCS Case Aide’s reports in the hard copy record and upload as an Artifact in Guardian.

Document any other contact between the child and the child’s siblings, family members, other relatives, friends, and any former foster parents using Notes.

Document the supervision of parenting time and other family contact using the Summary of Parenting Time, CSO-3463, Summary of Virtual Contact, CSO-3974 or Sibling Visit Case Note, DCS-3924 as applicable. File the form in the hard copy record.

Document approval for an additional service authorization from the Program Supervisor using Notes.

Effective Date: July 14, 2026

Revision History: November 30, 2012, February 1, 2021, October 1, 2021, February 29, 2024, July 1, 2025