In the fall of 2024, the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) mailed letters to parents who once had an open dependency and/or severance case.
Did you receive a letter? Visit the DCS letter page for more information.
How is an adoptive home for a child selected?
When selecting an adoptive home for a child, DCS considers which home would best meet the safety, social, emotional, physical and mental health needs of the child. An important distinction to keep in mind is that it is responsibility of DCS to find families for children, not to find children for families. In other words, the focus of the Department is on determining who can best meet the needs of the child.
It is also important to look at the big picture when finding an adoptive home for a child. For example, does the child have brothers and/or sisters who also need an adoptive home? Can all the siblings be placed together? Are there any relatives with whom the child may be placed? Are there people with whom the child has an existing relationship, perhaps a former foster parent or teacher? Another important consideration is the wishes of the child; in Arizona children age 12 or older must agree to being adopted
Response provided by the Arizona Department of Child Safety
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