Arizona Arizona Revised Statutes
§ 8-471 — Office of child welfare investigations; training; responsibilities; annual report
ARS § 8-471Title 8. Child Safety · Ch. 4. DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SAFETY · Art. 2. Criminal Conduct Allegation Investigations
Statute text
View on source8-471. Office of child welfare investigations; training; responsibilities; annual report A. The director shall establish the office of child welfare investigations within the department. The director is responsible for the direction, operation and control of the office. B. The duties of the office include investigating criminal conduct allegations, coordinating with other parts of the department and law enforcement, establishing task forces for the investigation of criminal conduct and other duties as may be assigned by the director. C. The office shall employ child welfare investigators who have received training to understand law enforcement's role in cases of criminal child abuse or neglect and in social services offered by the department. The office may employ research analysts and peace officers for the purpose of obtaining an originating agency identification number to have direct access to criminal history report information. Each person hired by the office is an employee of the department, is subject to title 41, chapter 4, article 4 and shall comply with the fingerprint requirements of section 8-802. D. The department, in coordination with the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, shall provide child welfare investigators with training. The training shall be, at a minimum, in the following areas: 1. First responder training on responding to reports of child abuse. 2. Forensic interviewing and processes. 3. Child physical and sexual abuse investigation. 4. The protocols established pursuant to section 8-817. 5. Relevant law enforcement procedures, including the collection and preservation of evidence. 6. A child's constitutional rights as a victim of a crime pursuant to article II, section 2.1, Constitution of Arizona. 7. Impact and intervention practices related to adverse childhood experiences, culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery, domestic violence, family engagement, communication with special populations and trauma informed responses. 8. Any other training as directed by the director. E. A child welfare investigator shall: 1. Protect children. 2. Assess, respond to or investigate all criminal conduct allegations, which shall be a priority, but not otherwise exercise the authority of a peace officer. 3. Not interview a child without the prior written consent of the parent, guardian or custodian of the child unless either:
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