Positive Changes in AZ Triple Number of Foster Children Sleeping in Child Safety Offices Overnight

July 3, 2015

On February 10, 2015, Children’s Rights organization and Center for Law in the Public Interest filed a federal law suit on behalf of foster children against the state of Arizona highlighting neglect and lack of services and care for foster children. Though the suit is ongoing, the ramifications caused Arizona state leadership upheavals which have affected positive outcomes correcting various aspects of the broken foster care system. Yet unimproved portions of the foster care system are failing to keep up with those outcomes.

There are more than 17,000 children in the Arizona foster care and many children find themselves sleeping not inside warm foster homes but Department of Child Safety state offices. It is reported that since October 2014 the amount of children left in DCS offices overnight have tripled.

Although the State of Arizona and ChildHelp were able to prepare a new facility in 12 days to help house up to 30 children for 24 hours before moving on into foster homes, a feat to be praised, the facility is temporary in nature and a new facility will be needed within six months.

In the end, the State of Arizona needs to find lasting solutions that would help create safe and healthy homes and inspire its population to open their homes and hearts to children in need.

For more information read:

Tinsley et al v. Flanagan et al

Continuing failure to protect foster children leads to class action law suit against AZ

ChildHelp

Record number of children sleeping in DCS offices