Arkansas has seen an uptick in its foster care caseload during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic as fewer children’s cases work their way through the court system.
Division of Children and Family Services Director Mischa Martin said the total number of foster children on April 8 was 4,445. That number has increased by 150 in recent weeks because of a reduction in discharges and other moves toward permanency. Because courts are no longer holding in-person hearings, children aren’t being adopted or placed with relatives.
The situation may improve now that courts have moved toward videoconferenced hearings.
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