Adoption

Adopting a child can be one of the most fulfilling and gratifying experiences a family can make. You are giving the child a new life as a member of a family in a loving and caring home that cannot be replicated in an orphanage or foster care. That being said, adoption can be a long and complicated process. Certain rules and procedures must be followed in order to adopt and adoptive families must meet certain requirements. In most cases, the child’s biological parents must consent to the adoption unless the parents have significantly failed to support or communicate with the child for more than one year. There is also the possibility that the adoption will be challenged in which case a hearing will take place in front of a judge. The Smith Firm will ensure that all the legal rules and procedures have been followed so that your adoption experience is successful and beneficial to you and your family’s future.

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A large number of people are qualified to adopt within the state of Arkansas, and two-parent homes with a healthy relationship between the two spouses or a single parent household can qualify to adopt. According to the DHS, an applicant must meet the following qualifications for Arkansas adoptions:

Foster care applicants must be between 21 and 65 years of age
There must be at least a 10-year age difference between the applicant and the child and no more than a 45-year difference
The members of the household cannot have a health condition or disability that would interfere with raising the child through the Arkansas adoption
Members of the household my complete a physical and test negative on a TB test
There must be enough room in the house to raise the child, and each bedroom should be at least 50 square feet
All firearms must be maintained in a secure, locked location and stored separately from the ammunition
There can be no dangerous pets in the house
Children will have separate bedrooms if they are the opposite sex and more than 4 years old
Water must be approved or provided through the public water system for an Arkansas adoption
The applicant for Arkansas adoptions must have enough resources to meet the financial, medical, physical, educational, emotional, and shelter needs of the child without solely relying on state or federal assistance
All members of the household over the age of 10 must be cleared through the AR Child Maltreatment Central Registry
All members 18 years of age and older need cleared through the AR Adult Maltreatment Central Registry, a State Police Criminal Record Check, and an FBI Criminal Background Check to allow an Arkansas adoption in the household
Heads of the household must certify no household member between 10-17 has a criminal record

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

► How do I apply for Arkansas Adoptions?

The link provides an applicant with an inquiry form for Arkansas adoptions, foster care, or both. There is a large amount of data required by the inquiry form, and applicants for Arkansas adoptions should take their time to complete the form. In addition to completing the inquiry form and meeting all qualifications, an applicant must also complete the following:

CPR and Standard First Aid Certification
30 hours of pre-service training
Meet all Minimum Licensing Standards and DCFS policy requirements

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