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.
What amount of parenting time is right?
That depends on the age and stage of development of the child. For example, it may not be appropriate to have lengthy periods of parenting time with a newborn child, although more frequent shorter visits may be appropriate. Some counties (Coconino, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, and Yavapai) have established guidelines to help parents and the courts decide how much parenting time is important to the child. The Arizona Supreme Court has also published Planning for Parenting Time: Arizona's Guide for Parents Living Apart to assist parents in establishing age-related parenting time schedules. However, it is important to remember that guidelines do not apply to all family situations or to all children. If the parents cannot agree on a schedule the court decides parenting time on a case-by-case basis.