04/02/2026
Preventing child abuse requires an awareness and understanding of the nature and extent of the problem. At the end of fiscal year 2025 (June 2025), there were 3,390 children in foster care in Arkansas. That's only a small number of children who have suffered abuse or neglect. In 2025 the Department of Human Services received 32,574 reports of child maltreatment. Of those reports, 20% (6,500) were found to be TRUE. The majority of the substantiated reports were for neglect (64%). Other types of abuse were physical and sexual abuse. Most of the cases were dealt with outside of court with the Department of Human Services offering guidance without removing the children from the home. Of the 3,000 children that did enter foster care, most of them came into care due to neglect or substance abuse by a parent or parental incarceration.