Arkansas Adoption Resource Exchange
BUILDING
FAMILIES THROUGH
ADOPTION
For a child, there is nothing more
important than having a parent to protect, love, and care for them. There are children in
Arkansas who have no family to give them the stability, safety, and commitment they
deserve. That is why the children need families like you. |
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Welcome to the Arkansas Adoption Resource Exchange (AARE) web site.
The exchange is operated by the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of
Children and Family Services (DHS/DCFS). AARE is dedicated to finding families for the
following children: African American children from two years of age or older; Caucasian
children nine years of age or older; children with a serious medical, emotional, and/or
learning condition; and/or brothers and sisters who need to be adopted together in the
same family.
This web site
includes photographs and general descriptions of children who are waiting for an adoptive
family. The children are in the custody of DHS/DCFS and are legally free for adoption.
DHS/DCFS is the public adoption agency in Arkansas.
HOW DO I
USE THE ADOPTION WEB SITE?
On the home page
for this web site, you must decide if you would like to view information about the girls, boys, or sibling groups (click on your preference) who are legally
free for adoption. Photographs of children will appear. If you click on the childs
photograph, a profile about the child will appear. This profile is an introduction to the
child. It does not contain all there is to know about a child. More detailed information
is available.
The profile of a
child will include the childs first name, date of birth, registration number,
sibling information, and some physical characteristics. Additional information may
include: personality characteristics, developmental information, strengths, challenges,
interests, talents, special services that are needed, etc.
If you live in
Arkansas and need additional information about being considered as adoptive family for a
particular child on the web site, or need general information
about the adoption program, you will need to contact the DHS/DCFS Adoption
Specialist who serves your county, click here for list.
If you do not live in Arkansas, contact the DHS/DCFS Adoption Services Unit at the Little
Rock address or phone numbers listed above. E-mails may be forwarded to
linda.dismuke@arkansas.gov.
Or, you may contact our
offices:
DHS/DCFS
Adoption Services Unit
P. O. Box 1437, Slot S565
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
Toll Free (888) 736-2820
Local Little Rock (501) 682-8462
Office Hours:8:00 to 4:30 (CST) Monday Friday.
WHY DO THESE
CHILDREN NEED AN ADOPTIVE FAMILY?
Many of the
children are removed from their birth family or legal parent due to neglect, physical
abuse, emotional abuse, and/or sexual abuse. DHS/DCFS has attempted to work with the birth
family to resolve problems. Some the childrens parents have consented to the
children being adopted and DHS/DCFS and the court have agreed. Other parents have not
consented. In such cases, DHS/DCFS and the court have determined it is not safe for the
child to live with the parent or other family members. An adoption cannot take place
unless the birth parent or legal parents rights have been terminated by the court.
WHERE ARE THESE
CHILDREN LIVING?
The children are in
the custody of DHS/DCFS. Most of the children live with foster families. Some live in
group homes and with therapeutic foster families. Others live in residential treatment
facilities as result of having emotional and/or physical conditions. Many of the children
have had multiple placements.
WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE REQUIREMENTS TO ADOPT?
You must be at
least 21 years old to 55 years old (to the age of 40 years for an infant under 1 year
old). A primary caregiver must be an age so that it can be anticipated that he/she can
parent the child into adulthood. You may be married (minimum of 2 years), divorced (at
least one year), or single. An illness or disability will not prevent you from adopting.
It would need to be determined that an illness or disability would not interfere with your
ability to parent. You do not have to own your home. Your home must have adequate space
and be safe. Safety measures must be in place concerning firearms, dangerous pets, and
water hazards. You dont have to have a lot of money. There must be sufficient
income/resources to meet the needs of a child. Adoption subsidy may be a resource for an
adopted child who is eligible. There is no educational or religious requirement. A
criminal record check, driving record check, and a child abuse/neglect check are required. You must be mature,
stable, and have appropriate parenting skills. You will need to complete adoption training
that DHS/DCFS provides at no cost. Completion of CPR and First Aid
training is required. If you live out of state, you must secure the training
from the public adoption agency or a private, licensed adoption agency. An adoption
assessment or "home study" is required.
WHAT IS AN ADOPTION
ASSESSMENT OR "HOME STUDY"?
It is very
important that you are assessed and prepared for adoption in order to make informed
decisions and to meet the needs of a child who has been neglected and/or abused. A lot of
information is provided during group meetings (training) with other adoptive applicants.
There are opportunities to talk with adoption staff and usually experienced adoptive
families. An Adoption Specialist meets with household members individually and as a
family. This person will visit in your home. You will be asked to think about your life
experiences, relationships, lifestyle, strengths, challenges, parenting skills,
expectations for children, support systems, problem solving skills, communication skills,
child development, child abuse and neglect, motivation for adoption, adoption issues,
preferences for a child, and more. Forms are completed. A medical evaluation on all
household members is necessary by a doctor you select. The Adoption Specialist completes a
criminal record check on everyone in the household who is 14 years of age or older and a
child abuse and neglect check on everyone in the household who is 10 years of age or
older. This entire process of assessment and preparation is referred to as an adoption
assessment or "home study". It is a mutual learning experience between
DHS/DCFS
adoption staff and you. DHS/DCFS adoption staff does not expect perfect families.
If you do not live
in Arkansas, contact the public adoption agency in your state to complete the adoption
training and "home study". DHS/DCFS may be able to accept a "home
study" that has been completed by a private, licensed adoption agency in your state.
Some private agencies may offer the training. Private agencies may charge
DHS/DCFS a fee
to place a child and to provide required services after the placement.
DHS/DCFS may or may
not have monies available to pay the fee.
The adoption
assessment or "home study" may take up to four to six months to complete. When
this process is completed and the adoption application has been approved, you will be
available to be selected as an adoptive family for a child. If you have expressed an
interest in a child on the adoption web site, a determination will be made about the
appropriateness of selecting you as the adoptive family for that child if the child has
not been placed with an adoptive family. You will be considered along with other approved
adoptive applicants. If another family is selected for the child, you will enter the
DHS/DCFS resource of approved adoptive applicants and will be considered for other
children who match your preferences. We encourage you to express interest in other
children who are registered on the adoption web site.
It may take a few
months, a year, or longer for a selection or "match" to occur.
A factor in the length of
time is your preferences for a child. The greatest need is adoptive
families for school aged children including teenagers. DHS/DCFS cannot guarantee you that
a child will be placed.
At the time you are
selected as an adoptive family for a child, you will be provided with a packet of
information about the child. If you are interested in considering the child after
assessing the information, the child will receive information and usually photographs
about you. Planned visits between you and child will occur. During these visits you will
also talk with DHS/DCFS staff. You may meet with the childs foster parents/care
providers, mental health counselor, medical professionals, teachers, attorney, advocate,
and significant others. The length of the visitation schedule is based upon the
childs needs.
If you live in
another state, DHS/DCFS will follow the law and regulations of the Interstate Compact on
the Placement of Children (ICPC). The approval of the ICPC office in each state must be
secured prior to a childs placement with an adoptive family that lives in another
state. DHS/DCFS will initiate the ICPC procedures.
A child must live
with an adoptive family for at least six months before an adoption can be legally
finalized in Arkansas. During this time, an Adoption Specialist will help you with
questions, problems, locating resources, etc.
IS FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE?
Financial
assistance may be available in form of monthly support to the child, one-time
reimbursement for expenses related to initial adoption expenses, and a federal tax credit
for the year in which the adoption takes place. The monthly support, called adoption
subsidy, is available for children who meet eligibility requirements. A subsidy helps to
meet the costs of providing for the childs daily needs. Subsidies may be available
to help pay for medical or psychological services and legal fees to finalize an adoption.
WHAT ABOUT ADOPTING
AN INFANT?
Over the past few
decades, the number of healthy, Caucasian infants, who are relinquished to
DHS/DCFS for
adoption has decreased sharply. DHS/DCFS is not taking
applications for normal, healthy newborns. DHS/DCFS
continues to accept applications to adopt a healthy, African
American child from birth to two years.
DHS/DCFS is a
public adoption agency and does not charge a fee to apply for adoption or for placement of
a child. You would be responsible for any fee for a medical examination that is required
during an adoption assessment or "home study". If you have lived in Arkansas for
less than six years, you would be responsible for a fee for a FBI criminal record check.
Most of the legal fees to finalize an adoption may be paid by an adoption subsidy for an
eligible child.
WHAT MAKES AN
ADOPTION SUCCESSFUL?
To successfully
adopt a child, who is registered on the DHS/DCFS adoption web site, a parent must have the
ability to:
| make a commitment |
deal with rejections |
| provide stability |
laugh |
| provide
safety |
accept differences |
| set realistic expectations |
look
at progress in small steps |
| handle
stress and change |
learn new parenting skills |
| reach out for help/support |
advocate
for the child |
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HOW DO I START THE ADOPTION PROCESS?
If you live in
Arkansas, contact the DHS/DCFS Adoption Specialist who serves
your county, click
here for list. For a packet of information about the DHS/DCFS
adoption program, you may contact our offices:
DHS/DCFS Adoption
Services Unit
P. O. Box 1437, Slot S565
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
Toll Free (888) 736-2820
Local Little Rock (501) 682-8462
Office Hours:8:00 to 4:30 (CST) Monday – Friday.
If you do not live
in Arkansas, contact the DHS/DCFS Adoption Services Unit at the
Little Rock address or phone numbers listed above. E-mails may
be forwarded to
Linda Dismuke.
If you do not live
in Arkansas, contact the public adoption agency in your state to
complete the adoption training and adoption assessment or "home
study". DHS/DCFS may be able to accept an adoption assessment or
"home study" that has been completed by a private, licensed
adoption agency in your state. Some private agencies may offer
the training. Private agencies may charge DHS/DCFS a fee to
place a child and to provide required services after a child is
placed. DHS/DCFS may or may not have monies available to pay the
fee. Contact the Adoption Services Unit (previous paragraph) if
further information is needed. Approved adoption assessments or
"home studies" must be forwarded to this address.

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