How to Become a Foster Parent in Arkansas
May is National Foster Care Month. If you are considering becoming a foster parent in Arkansas, now is the best time, regardless of the season. You can be the dependable, loving adult that every child needs.
The idea might seem overwhelming if you are new to fostering or adopting. This guide will make the process easier. Here is everything you need to know to help a foster child find a temporary or permanent home in Arkansas.
Quotes about foster care
How to Become a Foster Parent in Arkansas
Close to 400,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system, and the numbers are on the rise. Yet, the path to becoming a foster parent in Arkansas can often seem unclear. FosterUSKids.org is your source for information and guidance, connecting you with a local Arkansas agency to simplify becoming a foster parent.
HOW TO FOSTER: A SIX-STEP GLANCE
There are six steps to complete before you can bring a child into your home as a licensed foster parent in Arkansas:
- Request Information About Fostering –
FosterUSKids put the Arkansas foster care and adoption agencies at your fingertips. - Attend an Orientation Meeting for Foster Parenting –
Learn more about the foster parent journey: how to become a foster parent, the characteristics of kids in foster care, and state foster care rules and regulations.
- Submit a Foster Parent Application –
Your agency’s social workers will help you with the required documentation, background checks, personal references, and state-specific criteria.
- Attend Pre-Service Training –
Around 30 hours of formal parent training cover essential topics from what to expect to trauma-informed foster care.
- Complete an Assessment and Home Study –
This vital process includes a home visit and interviews with social workers to ensure you are a good fit and ready to be matched with a foster child.
- Receive Your Foster License –
The typical 3 to 6-month process results in getting your foster family license and then welcoming a foster child into your home!
Parenting is a rewarding journey marked by commitment and growth. For foster children in Arkansas, the search is not for a perfect parent but someone they can count on for love, care, and a stable home – a foundation that will make a life-altering difference.
We at FosterUSKids are grateful you are on the path to learning more. For detailed guidance through every step, contact an Arkansas child-placing agency now.
Requirements to Foster in Arkansas
There are myths and misconceptions about what you need to qualify as a foster parent.
Foster parent requirements vary by state. Parents must be at least 21 years of age in Arkansas. However, there cannot be more than a 45-year age difference between the child and the parent.
Marriage is not a requirement for fostering. Single individuals may apply.
Every foster parent in Arkansas must:
- Pass a background check
- Have a physical exam
- Complete the Arkansas Home Study
- Complete required training classes
- Pass the home inspection
- Attend face-to-face interviews with a state foster advocate
- Maintain financial stability
In addition, foster homes must have enough room for the foster child. This includes 50 square feet of bedroom space for personal belongings.
Reach out to an Arkansas child-placing representative for additional information.
Foster FAQs for Arkansas
If you are new to fostering, it can seem overwhelming. Many resources and experts are ready to guide you through fostering or adoption. Arkansas frequently asked questions (FAQs include):
What are the Biggest Fostering Needs?
Anyone willing to open their home to a foster child is welcome. However, there is a significant demand for those willing to take sibling groups and teens.
Every child in foster care has experienced trauma. When matching each child with a foster family, the main goal is the child's well-being. Maintaining sibling group bonds is essential. The need is great for licensed foster families willing to open their homes to siblings.
Additionally, it is hard to find families willing to foster teens. The parenting needs of a young child differ from those of an adolescent foster child. If you recall that period in your youth, you may recall the significance of having reliable adults and positive role models. Most experienced foster parents find Connecting with a teenager in foster care to be a rewarding experience.
Will I Have Support as a Foster Parent?
There are many resources available for support. Arkansas has many professionals who assist foster families, including the child-placing agency, the caseworker, and the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) staff. These dedicated social workers ensure every foster child gets the best possible care.
The Arkansas child welfare system staff commit to the well-being of young people in their care. Sometimes, this means providing temporary homes until children return to their biological families or exit foster care. Foster children often seek permanent homes before they "age out" of foster care or find a forever family through adoption. Your network of friends, family, and child welfare agencies can also support you on this journey.
What If I'm Interested in Adopting Children in Arkansas?
Most foster care placements are temporary. However, sometimes, biological families cannot reunite with their children. In these cases, children and youths in foster care become eligible for adoption.
Many agencies manage foster care in Arkansas. If you are interested in fostering-to-adopt, contact your local agency and tell a child advocate. They will listen to your needs and help you become a foster parent to one or more children in their care.
Foster agencies in Arkansas
General Foster FAQs
General Statistics About Foster Care
4,500
Kids in Arkansas' Foster Care System
2,949
Kids entering foster care in Arkansas
1,228
Arkansas foster kids waiting to be adopted
7 Years
Median age of a child in Arkansas' foster care system
Arkansas is in desperate need of foster parents. Some foster children need temporary care; others must find permanent care with a foster or adoptive family. A recent executive order, the Arkansas Strategic Plan for Foster Care Placement, hopes to help.
You can also help children in the Arkansas foster system by getting a foster parent license. Every child needs at least one adult he/she can depend on in a loving, supportive family.
The latest 2021 data in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) for Arkansas says there are:
- 4,500 kids in Arkansas' foster care system
- 1,228 foster kids waiting for adoption in Arkansas
- 27% of case plan goals that include adoption
- 11.3 months is the median time spent in foster care
- 6% of foster children spend 3-4 years in the foster care system
Arkansas has foster kids spanning all age groups, with the median age being 7 years old. There are many reasons foster children may be unable to return to their birth family homes. In Arkansas, 60% of foster care case plans currently have reunification goals to rejoin foster kids with their biological parents.
Support Services for Foster Parents in Arkansas
No need to be a perfect parent or have specific experience to foster a child in Arkansas. Rather, Arkansas foster children need adults who can give them time and energy.
The Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) works to prevent child abuse and neglect. It is responsible for foster care and adoption programs, working closely with local partners to find safe, stable foster families. The Arkansas Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) website has helpful resources for foster and adoptive parents, like the Foster Parent Handbook.
Children in foster care are also automatically eligible for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
Every Child Arkansas is a community initiative and recruitment partner that helps connect parents and foster children.
We all want to see every foster kid in the United States find a loving home. Contact your local foster care agency today to learn more about the rewarding journey of being a foster parent in Arkansas. Every child in Arkansas needs someone to rely on. You can be that dependable adult for a child in need.
Now is the Time to Become a Foster Parent in ARKANSAS
Every day in Arkansas, children from all age groups enter foster care, some with no belongings of their own, all without an adult they can depend on. Every Arkansas kid needs a soft place to land and a place to call home. Whether you can offer temporary care or become a forever family, your interest could mean a brighter, more secure future for a child in Arkansas.
Still undecided? An Arkansas child-placing agency is here to guide you, providing answers about stipends, coaching, therapy resources, and foster parent training.
Take the next step: Begin your parenting journey by fostering an Arkansas child today.
Select My Foster Agency