I would like to find out how to adopt.
Project Zero works in partnership with the Arkansas DCFS to help find families for waiting kids! You will need to be an open adoptive home to officially inquire about specific waiting kids. (Arkansas DCFS policy).
The state of Arkansas does not have a foster to adopt program. You can open as an adoptive home, a foster home, or a home that is open to both foster and adopt.
The ultimate goal of foster care is reunification. The timeline a child would be in a home providing foster care is uncertain based on the reunification process of the children back to their biological family, but foster homes have the privilege to love on and care for the child(ren), then allow them to go home when it is time. To receive more information on foster care - and how (and where) you can open as a foster home - you can visit https://everychildarkansas.org/get-involved/foster/ This is a great resource to help point you in the right direction of organizations in our state who recruit, train, and open homes to provide foster care!
Adoption through DCFS comes in once a child is legally freed to be adopted, and that means TPR (Termination of Parental Rights) has occurred.
If you are in Arkansas, and you would like to take steps to open as an adoptive home, your first step is to either attend an informational meeting through The CALL www.thecallinarkansas.org or fill out an inquiry form through DCFS online at www.adoptarkansas.org. Either of these will get you started in the process! You can find out when the next informational meetings for The CALL are by visiting the website listed. At the info meeting you will learn all of the details about becoming a foster or adoptive family and have the opportunity to sign up for training and begin the paperwork process. After training and CPR you will have a home study and final walk through before opening to adopt.
Once you are an open and approved home, you will be invited to all of Project Zero's connection events and have the opportunity to inquire about waiting kids whose photos are in our Heart Gallery.
One note depending on the age range y'all were hoping to adopt - please view our Heart Gallery on our website, and that will give you an idea of the demographic of our precious kids who are waiting for a forever family. It is very rare for young children to be on the Heart Gallery unless they are in sibling groups or have special needs. If you are looking to adopt a baby or a very young child, you may need to look into organizations who do that on a private level.
Does Project Zero do out of state adoptions?
Project Zero works in partnership with Arkansas DCFS to help find families for waiting kids! You would need to be an open and approved adoptive home in the state where you live and then you will be able to inquire about waiting kids from other states. Arkansas DCFS does do out of state adoptions on a case by case basis. We would need to check with the adoption specialist for a specific child to see if he/she is accepting out of state home studies.
How do I become an open and approved adoptive home if I don’t live in Arkansas?
Since Project Zero works in partnership with our state’s DCFS, you will need to be an open and approved adoptive home in your state before you can inquire about children from other states. We suggest checking in with your state’s DCFS, DHS, or Heart Gallery! They should be able to point you in the right direction on where to get started.
Why do some children have pictures and bios and some do not?
We are working to update our website as often as there are changes and additions! We don't always have bios and pictures as soon as there are children that need to be added to our Heart Gallery, but we want to make sure they are listed so we get them on the Heart Gallery as soon as possible. We add pictures, bios, and short films for our Heart Gallery as soon as we are able to get them completed. Please check back again, and hopefully we will have more added!
What is the cost to adopt from foster care and how long does it take?
There is little to no cost to adopt from foster care. The time frame to become an open and approved adoptive home varies based on your availability, training schedules, etc. but would probably be between 4-12 months.
Is it possible to speak over the phone with someone at Project Zero?
Project Zero works in partnership with the Arkansas DCFS to help find families for waiting kids! Our role in the process is to raise awareness and help find families for waiting kids. We don't however, have anything to do with the paperwork process, training, or selecting families for kids. Arkansas DCFS has not cleared us to speak over the phone in regards to waiting children. Thank you so much, and we hope you understand.
What is Project Zero's mailing address?
P.O. Box 25436
Little Rock, AR 72221
