Arizona Child Safety Audit Finds Limited Effectiveness Due To Documentation & Training Quality

The Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) risk assessment processes are hampered by poor documentation and subjective decisionmaking by caseworkers. The current child safety risk assessment (CSRA) tool provides insufficient guidance for making child safety decisions. Plus, insufficient training further limits caseworker ability to conduct child safety and risk assessments.

These findings were reported by the Arizona Office of the Auditor in a performance analysis of the Arizona Department of Child Safety. The auditor evaluated DCS child safety and risk assessment processes, and its approach for determining whether to remove a child from his/her home. The auditor found that . . .