The Arkansas child welfare system provides a continuum of services designed to protect children from abuse and neglect, strengthen families to prevent future maltreatment, and ensure safe, permanent homes for children. Services include prevention programs, child maltreatment investigations, in-home services, foster care, and adoption.
A well-functioning child welfare system requires government, community-based partners, and family members to work together for the best interest of the child and preservation of the family whenever safely possible. If that is not possible, the child is provided with a safe, temporary placement in foster care, preferably with relatives or fictive kin, and the child welfare system works to reunify families. When reunification cannot occur, the system is responsible for helping the child develop safe, lifelong relationships and finding a forever family for the child.
Child welfare is a complex and often overburdened system serving some of the state’s most vulnerable children and families. Advocacy is crucial to protect children’s rights, support families, and prevent future maltreatment. This includes advocating for case workers and attorneys practicing in child welfare to have manageable caseloads, increasing support for foster parents, and expanding families’ access to evidence-based services and community resources to ensure their safety, permanency, and well-being.
Join us in the fight for children’s rights and family support. Your involvement can help shape a better future for our community.
