Arkansas Relative Placements
Arkansas conducts the following types of home studies:
- Relative Care
- Foster Care
- Relative-Foster Care
- Parent Care
- Foster- Adopt
- Adoption
Relative Home Study
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:
Proof of Paternity Required for Placement with Paternal Relative:
- 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:
Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study)
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):
Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):
Arkansas determines the "Date of Receipt" for an interstate home study as:
Method of requesting, sending, and/or reporting an interstate home study
|
Regular Mail |
Express Mail |
Overnight Mail |
Electronic Mail |
| Send request for a home study to Receiving State |
y |
|
|
|
| Send home study request to Local office |
y |
|
|
|
| Send home study report to Sending State |
y |
|
|
|
Criminal Records 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.
Types 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))
|
Federal |
State |
Local |
ANR |
NR |
| Foster Care |
y |
y |
|
y |
|
| Relative |
y |
y |
|
y |
|
| Relative Foster Care |
y |
y |
|
y |
|
| Foster-Adopt |
y |
y |
|
y |
|
| Adoption |
y |
y |
|
y |
|
| Parent |
|
y |
|
y |
|
Wait Time for Criminal Records Checks
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
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):
Verification of Criminal Records Results
- Actual results/information contained in the Criminal Background
Wait Time - (License/ Certification/ Approval - Education and Training)
Average Length of time it takes for a home to be licensed/approved/certified:
Length of time a license is valid before renewal required:
Arkansas offers classes (education and training) for placement resources' homes to become licensed/certified/approved:
