Report Child Abuse
Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS)
AZ Child Abuse Hotline: 1-888-767-2445
According to the Arizona Department of Child Safety:
The Arizona Department of Child Safety is charged with child protection, but we also serve as a visionary leader in primary prevention, partnering with other family-serving agencies and community organizations to improve community health and strengthen families.
A report of suspected child abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment is a responsible attempt to protect a child. Arizona law requires certain persons who suspect that a child has received non-accidental injury or has been neglected to report their concerns to DCS or local law enforcement (ARS §13-3620.A). YOU may be a child’s only advocate at the time you report the possibility of abuse or neglect. Children often tell a person with whom they feel safe about abuse or neglect. If a child tells you of such experiences, act to protect that child by calling the toll free Arizona Child Abuse Hotline at 1-888-767-2445.
Why do we share this information? I know there have been instances where autistic children have been removed from their parents’ care unjustly. I also worked in the foster care licensing field when I first came to Arizona and I have seen first hand some truly heartbreaking instances of why children come into DCS care. If I can prevent a child from being in an abusive environment in any way, I will. I left the field after being burned out. It got to a point where the horrible stories I read in case files were no longer shocking to me. Sometimes there is only 1 person who bares witness to abuse and that person can be a lifeline for a vulnerable child.