Child Welfare Statistics
Child Abuse in Arizona (6 month period)1
- Child Abuse Hotline received 21,317 calls that met the statutory criteria for a DCS report.
- Number of children in out-of-home care decreased from 12,546 to 11,696.
- Majority of children in out-of-home care are from ages 1 to 5 years (4,596 or 39.3%)
- Ethnicity majority of children in out-of-home care are Hispanic (34.2%) & Caucasian (31.8%)
- African American children represent 5.2% of population yet 17.4% are in out-of-home care.
- Children with an adoption case plan spend on average 25 months in out-of-home care.
- 30% of children leaving foster care spent over 12 month in care.
- Average number of placements was 2.7.
1Arizona Department of Child Safety, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022"; 2020 Kids Count Data Center.
|
Comparative Ratio by Ethnicity in Arizona
(Child Population1, Children in Care2, CASA Volunteers3)
|
| Caucasian |
Hispanic |
Native American |
African American |
Asian |
Other |
 |
| 36.3% |
45.0% |
5.4% |
5.1% |
2.8% |
5.4% |
| 31.8% |
34.2% |
9.6% |
14.8% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| 83.7% |
9.0% |
0.2% |
4.5% |
2.6% |
0.0% |
1 2021 ACS 1-Year Estimates Survey
2 Arizona Department of Child Safety Security, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of Julu 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022
3 2023 DCATS Statistical Report, CASA of Arizona
| Comparative Ratio by Gender in Arizona |
| Child Population1 |
Children in Care2 |
CASA Volunteers3 |
 |
| Female 50.1% |
Female 49% |
Female 86% |
| Male 49.9% |
Male 51% |
Male 14% |
1 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates Survey U.S. Census Estimate
2 2020 Kids Count Data Center
3 2023 DCATS Statistical Report, CASA of Arizona
| Age Comparison of Children in Care in Arizona |
 |
Arizona Department of Child Safety, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022"
| Reason for Children in Care in Arizona |
 |
Arizona Department of Child Safety, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022"
| Length of Time in Out of Home Care in Arizona |
 |
Arizona Department of Child Safety, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022"
| Number of Placements Prior to Leaving DCS Custody in Arizona |
 |
Arizona Department of Child Safety, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022"
| Reasons Children Left DES Custody in Arizona |
 |
Arizona Department of Child Safety, "Child Welfare Reporting Requirements Semi-Annual Report for the Period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022"
Child Deaths in Arizona
"In 2021, 863 children under 18 years of age died in Arizona. This is an increase from 2020 when 838children died." 1
- 176 child deaths involved drugs/alcohol
- 206 children died as a result of prematurity
- 128 children died as a result of abuse/neglect
- 72 children died while in motor vehicle crash
- 65 babies died in unsafe sleep environments
- 47 children were victims of homicide
- 44 children took their own lives
- 44 children died by drowning
- 56 children died by firearms
1 "Arizona Child Fatality Review Program, Twenty-Nine Annual Report, November 2022"
Data References