The number of children adopted in Arkansas in 2009 nearly has doubled since 2002, while the time they waited in foster care has decreased, according to a new report by a child welfare group.
The Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families said that 3,286 children were adopted in Arkansas between 2002 and 2009, and children waited an average of two and a half years after entering the child welfare system to be adopted.
In 2002, 348 children were adopted. By 2009, more than 600 had been adopted.
Over the pas four years, the average wait time to be adopted dropped from 35 months to 30 months, according the the report.
According to the report, children in the Delta waited twice as long for a permanent adoptive home as those in the northwest corner of the state. while older children on average waited longer to be adopted than younger ones.
Pulaski County had the highest number of adoptions in 2009, with 130 children adopted. The county also had the highest number of children awaiting adoption as of June 2009 – 67. Sebastian County was the second highest with 63 children waiting to be adopted.
The data don’t include children who “age out” of the system by turning 18 without ever being adopted.
As of December 2009, 425 children were available for adoption in Arkansas. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families said they are currently in custody of the state Department of Human Services.
The group used data from the Department of Children and Family Services for its analysis.