ABBA Adoption is fully staffed to meet your needs as a potential adoptive parent. Though we are a young agnecy, we are not new to adoptions, with more than 25 years of adoption experience and never an adoption overturned.

Along with working closely with the birth parents, our team is fully equipped to:

• Educate you on the specific laws related to adoption in the state of Arkansas.

• Complete Home Studies for the adoptive parents in the state of Arkansas. (Please see below for the description and mandates of a homestudy.)

• Design and coordinate the legal paperwork needed for the finalization process.

• File all needed paperwork at court and represent the adoptive parents in court.

• Offer support to the adoptive parents throughout the adoption process

We will take the time to counsel you on your legal and personal options in regards to your adoption.  We are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for the adoption process as well as a genuine concern for your well-being.  We not only want your adoption to be solid, but also we desire for the process to be joyful.  We are available to you and want you to feel at ease throughout your involvement with ABBA.

Home Study Guidelines:

A home study is a written report that provides a comprehenseive picture of your background along with all those living in your home, current family life, and how this new child will be integrated into your family.  It highlights items such as relationships, interactions with children, ect.  Home studies are required for every adoption and help the agency and the court determine if a safe environment exists for the child. Under no circumstances should you allow just anyone to complete your home study.  Many families pay hundreds of dollars more than they should have, while others are forced to have them re-done because they were completed by an unqualified individual.

Once the "Application" and "Statement of Faith" have been submitted and approved by ABBA Adoption, LLC, it is then time to focus on the documentation needed for your home study.  Following are a list of items that we will need to gather from you.

• Agency will request written personal references from those you submit with your application.
• Two certified copies of Birth Certificates for each member of the household
• Two certified copies of Marriage License
• Divorce Decrees, if applicable
• Two copies Death Certificates, if applicable
• Most recent check stubs
• Letter from employer stating employment status and expected duration
• Most recent tax return, W02, or 1040
• State Police Checks with finger print clearances for all household members 16 years and older
• FBI Checks for all household members 16 years and older
• Child Maltreatment Checks for all members of the household 10 years and older
• Physical exams for each member of the household, must be within 6 months prior to approval, with a TB screen

The Social Worker conducting the Home Study shall have a minimum of two (2) face-to-face visits with one being conducted in the home of the adoptive parents.  The Social Worker must also meet with each adoptive parent face-to-face separately from one another.  In addition an interview of each age-appropriate member of the household is required.  Each member of the adoptive family must have a physical exam within six (6) months prior to the approval of the Home Study and yearly exam thereafter until placement to ensure that no person in the home has a health condition or disability that would interfere with the family's ability to care for the child.

The content of the Home Study consists of the following, current to one (1) year prior to each adoptive placement:

• Family's motivation for adoption and desired characteristics of the child to be adopted.
• Each family member's attitude about adoption
• Each family member's attitude towards birth parent (s), including parent search issues
• Attitude of extended family members regarding adoption
• Resolution of any infertility issues
• Demographic information of the adoptive parents
• The mental health, emotional stability, and maturity of the applicants
• The phsycial health of all household members, including a physician's statement to the Social Worker of the agnecy that a medical exam was completed
• Financial status and stability of the family, including proof of income and employment
• Three (3) personal references; non family members
• Two (2) personal references, family members
• Family's ability to cope with stress, loss, and crisis
• Adjustment and well-being of any minors residing in the home
• Family's child-caring skills and the willingness to acquire additional skills
• Family's discipline practices
• Adoptive parents expectation of the adoptive child
• Religious affiliation
• Description of the home, including location and environment
• Assessment of the safety of the home, including all water hazards, dangerous pets, and firearm safety.  All firearms shall be maintained in a secure, locked location.
• A statement regarding the availability and results from criminal record and child maltreatment central registry checks, dated within one (1) year prior to placement
• The stability of the adoptive family and their marriage, if applicable, shall be discussed and determined to be appropriate.
• The character, values, and ethical standards of the Adoptive Parents
• A recommendation regarding adoption, including the age, sex, characteristics, and special needs of children best served by this family
• If the adoptive family experiences a life change (such as, divorce, marriage, separation, health changes, change of residence, change of household composition), the family shall be re-evaluated prior to the placement of the child.  An additional home visit will be conducted if there has been a change in residence.