ICPC State Pages

Arkansas Home Studies (Adoption/Foster Care/Kinship/Parent/Relative)

Types of Home Studies

Arkansas conducts the following types of home studies:

• Relative Care
• Foster Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Parent Care
• Foster- Adopt
• Adoption

Arkansas designates staff in each county/region to conduct home studies and/or process interstate placements:

• Other: Yes. University Partnership staff who conduct PRIDE trainings then conduct the home studies for foster and adoptive placements. In addition, LCSW volunteers with the faith-based initiative The CALL (Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime) also conduct home studies for those homes who are recruited through The CALL. Each service area in Arkansas has an ICPC Liaison. ICPC Liaisons are supported by Central Office ICPC staff.

Arkansas considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 6 mos.
• Private: 6 mos.

Private Contract Services - Home Study

As the Sending State, Arkansas will pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• No

As the Receiving State, Arkansas will permit a Sending state to pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• Yes

As the Receiving State, Arkansas will accept/update a home study that was not originally conducted by the receiving state or a private contractor acting on behalf of the Receiving State:

• Will Update and Accept

Adoptive Home Study

Home study for adoption conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Prospective adoptive parents permitted to pay for a pre-adoptive home study:

• Private Adoptions: Yes
• Independent Adoptions: Yes

DCPS contracts for Purchase of Services with private agencies in other states:

• No

Foster Care Home Study

Home study for foster care conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Parent Home Study

If child has been removed from the parent, Arkansas requires a home study evaluation before reunification:

• Yes and no, it depends on whether the court orders a home study to be completed on parent.

Non-Custodial Parents: Placements with non-custodial parents are not covered under the ICPC if:

• • A court does not have evidence before it that such parent is unfit;
  • Does not seek such evidence; and
  • Does not retain jurisdiction over the child after the court transfers the child.

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes: Depends on situation -- Father's name on child's birth certificate and/or positive paternity test results

Relative/Kinship Home Study

Home study for relatives conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Define Relative:

• RELATIVE (FOR PROVISIONAL FOSTER HOMES) - A person within the fifth degree of kinship by virtue of blood or adoption (Ark. Code Ann. 9-28-402(18) & the Child Welfare Licensing Act). The fifth degree is calculated according to the child.

  RELATIVE (FOR NOTIFICATION PURPOSES ONLY) - A person within the third degree of kinship by virtue of blood or adoption.

Relatives must be licensed:

• Yes

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes : Depends on situation -- Father's name on child's birth certificate and/or positive paternity test results

Arkansas considers the following types and degrees of relation as relative placements. Individuals related in the 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree and 4th degree (You may need to refer to your state's consanguinity chart or state statute to determine relations or relative status.):

• 1st Degree (mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter)
• 2nd Degree (grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin)
• 3rd Degree (great grandmother, great grandfather, great aunt, great uncle, grand-niece, grand nephew, second cousin)
• 4th Degree (great, great-grandmother, great, great-grandfather, great, great aunt, great, great aunt, great, great uncle, great grand-niece, great grand nephew, third cousin)
• Godmother, Godfather
• Other

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Arkansas performs priority placements:

• Yes

A court ordered Priority 7 conducted if the child is in a DCF shelter or foster home for substantial period of time.

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Public

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of educational training):

• 60 days

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• 60 days

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Private

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of education training):

• Other: AR not involved in private adoptions other than ICPC.

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• Other: AR not involved in private adoptions other than ICPC.

Arkansas determines the "Date of Receipt" for an interstate home study as:

• Other

Method of requesting, sending, and/or reporting an interstate home study

Criminal Record Checks

Arkansas requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

• Foster Care
• Relative Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Foster-Adopt
• Adoption
• Parent
• Other, specified below

Other adults living in the home.

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Arkansas requires the following types of criminal background and perpetrator checks (Federal (F), State (S), Local (L), Abuse and Neglect Registry (ANR), Not Required (NR))

Wait Time for Criminal Records Results

Wait time for fingerprint results are:

Live Scan or other technology

• State: 24 hours
• Local/County: Not Offered

Manually - Fingerprint Card

• State: 4-7 days
• Local/County: Not Offered