Foster care is a protective service to children and their families when families can no longer care for their children. There are many reasons and circumstances that make it difficult for biological families to meet the needs of their children—including poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, teen pregnancy, loss of a job, or lack of support from extended family. Unlike birth parents, foster parents receive training before they welcome children into their home, and support from social workers and other professionals throughout the process. Foster parents often also have access to respite care programs, and find support through local organizations, such as churches, and online support groups.

Traditionally, the foster parent’s role was seen as a temporary one—and even today more than half of children who enter foster care are reunified with their birth parents. Foster parents are frequently asked to support these reunification efforts—including facilitating visitations and attending court appearances—and must always be prepared to accept the loss of a child who returns to birth parents or is placed with another relative when that is found to be in the child’s best interest.

In Arkansas, foster care is regulated by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), specifically through its Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The state's foster care system is designed to provide temporary care and shelter for children who cannot safely remain with their biological families due to various reasons such as abuse, neglect, or the inability of parents to provide care. Foster parents in Arkansas are required to complete pre-service training and are subject to a home study and background checks before they can be approved to provide care for children. They receive ongoing support and training from social workers and may have access to resources such as respite care and support groups. The primary goal of foster care in Arkansas is reunification with the biological family when it is in the best interest of the child. Foster parents are expected to support reunification efforts, which may include facilitating visitations and participating in court proceedings. However, if reunification is not possible, other permanency options such as adoption may be pursued. Arkansas law emphasizes the best interest of the child in all foster care and adoption proceedings.