How to Become a Foster Parent in Hawaii

Description

Foster care in Hawaii provides temporary, safe, stable, and nurturing family-based care for children and young people who cannot safely remain with their parents. Hawaii uses the term resource caregiver rather than foster parent to emphasize that caregivers serve as resources to children and their families. Reunification is generally the initial permanency goal whenever it can be safely achieved. Resource caregivers provide daily care, supervision, transportation, advocacy, educational support, healthcare coordination, normal childhood experiences, and emotional stability while working with the child's parents, siblings, relatives, Child Welfare Services workers, Family Court, guardian ad litem, schools, healthcare providers, cultural supports, and other members of the child's team.

Agency

The Hawaii Department of Human Services, Social Services Division, Child Welfare Services Branch, commonly called DHS CWS, administers the state's public foster-care system and licenses resource family homes. DHS contracts with community partners, including Catholic Charities Hawaii's Statewide Resource Families Program, to provide H.A.N.A.I. preservice training, family assessments, licensing assistance, and support services. Other licensed child-placing organizations may also recruit, approve, supervise, and support resource families for programs they operate.

Who Can Apply

Adults who are at least 21 years old may apply to become resource caregivers. Applicants may be single, married, divorced, widowed, or partnered and may rent or own their home. They must demonstrate suitable character, emotional stability, mature judgment, sufficient household income independent of foster-board payments, appropriate physical and mental health, safe parenting practices, reliable transportation, a supportive household, and the ability to care for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, separation, grief, loss, disrupted attachment, and instability.

Average Time To License

Hawaii's current licensing checklist establishes a 90-day completion period beginning when a general-license applicant signs the application or when a child is placed with a child-specific applicant. The process includes the online application, document submission, H.A.N.A.I. training, references, fingerprinting, criminal-history and child-abuse checks, medical and tuberculosis clearances, interviews with household members, a home study, a home inspection, and final review by Child Welfare Services. Missing documents, rehabilitation reviews, out-of-state checks, or unmet home standards may extend the process.

Website

Visit the official agency website

Minimum Age

A Hawaii resource-caregiver applicant must generally be at least 21 years old. Child Welfare Services also evaluates maturity, judgment, emotional stability, caregiving ability, support systems, household functioning, and readiness to safely care for children and young people in foster care.

Residency

Applicants must maintain a residence in Hawaii that can be assessed, inspected, licensed, and monitored by Child Welfare Services and its contracted partners. The license applies to the approved caregivers and residence identified during the assessment. Applicants and adult household members who lived outside Hawaii during the preceding five years must generally authorize child-abuse and neglect checks from each applicable state.

Marital Status

Hawaii permits qualified single adults, married couples, divorced adults, widowed adults, and partnered adults to apply. When an applicant is married, the spouse participates in the application, releases, health questionnaire, background checks, training, interviews, home study, and licensing process. Other adults who live in the home or play a significant caregiving role are also assessed according to their involvement.

Income Requirements

Applicants must provide income verification and demonstrate that the household can meet its existing financial obligations without relying on foster-board payments. Acceptable records may include pay stubs, tax information, child-support or alimony documentation, self-employment records, and information concerning public or housing assistance. Foster-care reimbursement is intended to cover expenses associated with a placed child rather than serve as the family's primary income.

Home Ownership

Applicants are not required to own their residence. A rented or owned house, apartment, condominium, townhouse, or other suitable dwelling may qualify if it provides adequate space, sanitation, utilities, safe sleeping arrangements, emergency exits, and compliance with the Resource Family Home Inspection Checklist. Applicants receiving housing assistance may need documentation from the landlord, housing authority, or Section 8 worker confirming that foster children may reside in the home.

Bedroom Requirements

The home must provide safe and appropriate sleeping arrangements for each child placed there. Each child must have an approved bed, suitable bedding, reasonable privacy, and space for clothing and personal belongings. Bedroom sharing is evaluated according to the children's ages, sexes, gender identities, relationships, development, trauma histories, behaviors, and individual needs. The licensing worker determines the home's approved capacity and whether the proposed sleeping arrangements meet Hawaii's resource-family standards.

Transportation

Applicants must demonstrate a safe and reliable transportation plan for school, family contact, medical and dental appointments, counseling, court-related activities, childcare, extracurricular activities, cultural events, and emergencies. Every person who will transport a child must provide a current driver's license or identification as required. Vehicles used for transportation must have current insurance, be safely maintained, and use seat belts, child safety seats, booster seats, and other restraints required by Hawaii law.

Health Requirements

Applicants must be physically, mentally, and emotionally able to provide safe and consistent care. Each applicant and spouse completes a Resource Caregiver Applicant Health Questionnaire, and DHS may contact treating physicians or request additional medical or clinical information when necessary. All household members older than 12 months must provide current tuberculosis-clearance or screening results dated within one year of the application. A diagnosis, disability, counseling history, or prescribed medication does not automatically prevent approval, but the agency evaluates whether the condition affects safe caregiving.

Pet Policy

Pets and other animals are permitted when they do not present a foreseeable health or safety risk. Applicants must disclose animals in or around the home and explain how they are cared for, confined, and supervised. Animals must have vaccinations or licenses required by law. The licensing worker may require veterinary information, restricted access, additional containment, a written safety plan, or another corrective measure when an animal's health, size, behavior, aggression history, or disease risk could affect a child.

Firearm Policy

Firearms, ammunition, hunting equipment, and other dangerous weapons must be disclosed and stored so that children cannot gain unauthorized access. Firearms must be unloaded and kept in locked or otherwise approved secure storage. Ammunition must be secured separately unless Child Welfare Services approves another arrangement that complies with law and licensing standards. Keys, combinations, and access devices must remain under the control of a responsible adult.

Contact Agency

Visit the Resource Caregivers Hawaii website and begin through the online licensing portal, or contact the resource-family recruitment program serving your island. General-license applicants may contact Project Pilina through the statewide resource-caregiver website, while adults seeking to care for a particular relative or connected child should contact the child's Child Welfare Services worker or assigned licensing worker.

Attend Orientation

Participate in an Ask a Resource Caregiver information session or another introductory meeting provided through DHS or a contracted partner. The session explains the role of resource caregivers, children's placement needs, reunification, family and cultural connections, the online application, H.A.N.A.I. training, background checks, home-study requirements, reimbursement, ongoing support, and the differences between general and child-specific licensure.

Choose Agency

Most applicants are licensed through Hawaii DHS Child Welfare Services with assessment and training assistance from contracted community partners. Applicants should determine whether they are applying for a general resource-family license, which allows consideration for children matched to the home, or a child-specific license for a particular relative, family friend, or connected child. A licensed child-placing organization may have additional program-specific requirements when it supervises the home.

Documents Needed

• Completed online Resource Caregiver Application
• Government-issued identification for each applicant and spouse
• Information identifying every adult and child living in the household
• Information concerning other significant adults who regularly stay in the home or may provide care
• Background Clearance Record Check form for each household member age 18 or older
• FBI fingerprint submissions for every household member age 18 or older
• Child Abuse and Neglect Consent form for every adult household member and applicable significant adult
• Adam Walsh out-of-state child-abuse and neglect clearance forms for adults who lived outside Hawaii during the preceding five years
• Release-of-information forms for applicants, spouses, adult household members, and significant adults when applicable
• Additional-information releases for previous foster-care, adoption, counseling, treatment, or service-provider records when requested
• Residential-address history for the period requested by the licensing worker
• Two references, including one relative and one non-relative
• Income verification for each applicant
• Employment-history form for each applicant and applicable recent employers
• Marriage certificate or divorce certificate when applicable
• Housing-assistance, landlord, housing-authority, or Section 8 documentation when applicable
• Current automobile-insurance cards for every vehicle used to transport children
• Current driver's-license or identification information for applicants and other drivers
• Resource Caregiver Substitute Caretaker Plan identifying potential short-term childcare providers
• Resource Caregiver Applicant Health Questionnaire for each applicant and spouse
• Tuberculosis-clearance or screening results for all household members older than 12 months
• Clinical-clearance consents or treating-provider information when requested
• Family photograph showing all household members
• Fire escape and emergency plan
• Completed Resource Family Home Inspection Checklist
• General excise license when an applicant is self-employed or owns a business
• Financial-assistance verification when the household receives public, food, financial, or housing assistance
• Documentation of previous foster-care, adoption, childcare, counseling, treatment, or rehabilitation services when applicable
• Signed Resource Family Basics acknowledgment
• Certificates documenting completion of all required H.A.N.A.I. preservice sessions
• Any additional explanations, professional records, rehabilitation documents, safety plans, or corrective-action evidence requested by DHS

Required

Yes

Description

Hawaii offers introductory Ask a Resource Caregiver sessions to help prospective applicants understand foster care before completing the licensing process. Orientation introduces the resource-caregiver role, children's experiences in care, trauma and loss, reunification, partnership with parents and relatives, the importance of culture and community, general and child-specific licensing, H.A.N.A.I. training, home studies, background screening, placement matching, foster-board payments, and available support services.

How To Register

Visit https://rcg.hawaii.gov/ and use the contact or application section to connect with the recruitment and licensing program. General-license applicants may be referred to Project Pilina, while child-specific applicants are generally referred by the child's Child Welfare Services worker. Registration information for Ask a Resource Caregiver sessions and H.A.N.A.I. training is posted through the Resource Caregivers Hawaii website or provided by the assigned licensing worker.

Duration

The length and delivery of the introductory information session vary by provider and schedule. Sessions may be conducted virtually or in person and are separate from the required H.A.N.A.I. preservice curriculum. The current Year 1 H.A.N.A.I. program consists of five sessions totaling 14 hours according to the state licensing checklist.

Application Process

Applicants begin through Hawaii's online resource-caregiver licensing portal. After the application is signed, DHS and its contracted partners collect required releases, household information, references, health records, tuberculosis clearances, income verification, employment history, transportation records, and other supporting documents. All covered adults complete criminal-history, fingerprint, and child-abuse or neglect screening. Applicants complete H.A.N.A.I. training while a Catholic Charities Hawaii home-study assessor interviews household members and evaluates the family's readiness. A Child Welfare Services licensing worker conducts or reviews the home inspection and determines whether all licensing requirements have been satisfied. The completed home study is used to decide whether DHS will issue an unconditional certificate of approval.

Required Documents

• Completed online Resource Caregiver Application
• Identification and personal-history information for each applicant
• Information identifying every adult and child residing in the home
• Information identifying other significant adults associated with the household
• Background Clearance Record Check form for each covered adult
• FBI fingerprint documentation for each household member age 18 or older
• Child Abuse and Neglect Consent forms
• Adam Walsh out-of-state child-abuse and neglect clearance forms when applicable
• Catholic Charities Hawaii release-of-information forms
• Clinical-clearance releases when requested
• Releases permitting review of previous foster-care, adoption, counseling, treatment, or service-provider records
• Residential-address history
• Two references, including one relative and one non-relative
• Income-verification records
• Employment-history forms and recent employer information
• Marriage certificate or divorce certificate when applicable
• Housing-assistance or landlord documentation when applicable
• Current driver's-license or identification information for adults transporting children
• Current automobile-insurance cards for all vehicles used to transport children
• Resource Caregiver Substitute Caretaker Plan
• Resource Caregiver Applicant Health Questionnaire for each applicant and spouse
• Medical or treating-provider documentation requested by DHS
• Tuberculosis-clearance or screening results for all household members older than 12 months
• Family photograph showing all household members
• Fire escape and emergency plan
• Completed Resource Family Home Inspection Checklist
• General excise license for self-employed applicants or business owners when applicable
• Verification of food, financial, housing, or other public assistance when applicable
• Documentation concerning prior foster-care, adoption, childcare, treatment, or rehabilitation services when applicable
• Resource Family Basics acknowledgment
• H.A.N.A.I. preservice-training completion records
• Any additional professional evaluations, written explanations, rehabilitation evidence, safety plans, or corrective-action documentation requested by DHS

References Required

Applicants must provide two references, including one relative and one non-relative. References should know the applicants well enough to discuss their character, reliability, emotional stability, household relationships, judgment, parenting or caregiving ability, ability to manage stress, and suitability to care for children. DHS or the home-study contractor may request additional references or records when the available information is incomplete or raises concerns.

Interview Process

The home study includes interviews with all household members and typically requires approximately six to ten hours to complete. A Catholic Charities Hawaii home-study assessor schedules and conducts the interviews and prepares a written assessment for Child Welfare Services. Topics include motivation to foster, family and childhood history, relationships, parenting experience, discipline, trauma awareness, cultural humility, support for reunification and 'ohana time, attitudes toward children's parents and relatives, physical and mental health, finances, employment, support systems, transportation, criminal and child-welfare history, placement preferences, and the family's ability to safely support a child's identity, culture, development, education, health, relationships, and permanency plan.

Required

Yes

Curriculum

Hawaii requires prospective resource caregivers to complete the H.A.N.A.I. preservice curriculum before licensure. H.A.N.A.I. prepares caregivers to understand Hawaii's child-welfare system, the effects of abuse and neglect, trauma-informed caregiving, attachment, grief and loss, child and adolescent development, positive discipline, behavior as communication, cultural humility, Native Hawaiian values, maintaining children's identity and family connections, reunification, permanency planning, confidentiality, mandated reporting, educational advocacy, healthcare coordination, and collaboration with Child Welfare Services, birth families, schools, healthcare providers, courts, and community partners.

Required Hours

The current Resource Caregiver Licensing Checklist identifies five required H.A.N.A.I. sessions totaling approximately 14 hours before licensure. Some Hawaii DHS publications continue to reference approximately 15 hours of preservice training. Following approval, resource caregivers complete annual renewal training and any additional child-specific or specialized education required by Child Welfare Services or the supervising agency.

Online Available

Yes. Hawaii offers H.A.N.A.I. training through virtual, hybrid, and in-person formats depending upon island location, scheduling, and provider availability. Certain licensing activities—including home inspections, interviews, and portions of the home study—must still be completed in person.

Certification

Resource caregivers must complete all H.A.N.A.I. preservice requirements before licensure. Additional certifications or specialized instruction may be required for CPR, First Aid, medication administration, safe sleep, infant care, water safety, trauma-informed intervention, developmental disabilities, medically fragile children, behavioral stabilization, therapeutic foster care, or other specialized placement programs depending upon the child's needs.

Required

Yes

Interviews

Hawaii requires completion of a comprehensive Resource Family Home Study before licensure. A home-study assessor interviews applicants individually and jointly when appropriate, along with age-appropriate interviews of household members. The assessment evaluates motivation, parenting philosophy, family relationships, communication, emotional stability, physical and mental health, discipline practices, financial stability, trauma awareness, support systems, cultural responsiveness, Native Hawaiian values when appropriate, and the family's ability to safely meet the needs of children placed in foster care.

Home Visits

The home-study assessor conducts one or more visits to the residence during the licensing process. Visits include inspection of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, utilities, emergency exits, smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, medication storage, hazardous materials, firearms, pools, pets, transportation resources, and other environmental safety concerns. Additional visits may occur to verify repairs, review documentation, complete interviews, or confirm correction of licensing deficiencies before approval.

Topics Covered

• Applicants' motivation for becoming resource caregivers
• Understanding that reunification is generally the primary permanency goal
• Ability to support visitation and healthy relationships with parents, siblings, relatives, and other important people
• Ability to work cooperatively with Child Welfare Services, courts, schools, healthcare providers, therapists, cultural practitioners, and service providers
• Family history and childhood experiences
• Current household relationships and family functioning
• Marital, partner, or relationship stability
• Impact of fostering on biological, adopted, guardianship, and other household children
• Parenting philosophy and caregiving experience
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development
• Understanding trauma, abuse, neglect, attachment, grief, separation, and loss
• Positive discipline practices and prohibited discipline methods
• Ability to recognize behaviors related to trauma
• Ability to provide nurturing care, supervision, structure, and healthy boundaries
• Physical health and caregiving stamina
• Mental and emotional health
• Medication use when relevant to caregiving
• Alcohol, marijuana, controlled-substance, tobacco, and other substance-use history
• Domestic violence or household safety concerns
• Criminal-history and child-welfare background information
• Financial stability and budgeting
• Employment schedules and childcare arrangements
• Transportation resources
• Emergency preparedness, hurricane readiness, tsunami preparedness, fire safety, and evacuation planning
• Family, church, community, cultural, and professional support systems
• Native Hawaiian cultural awareness and preserving children's cultural identity when appropriate
• Cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic, disability, sexual-orientation, gender-identity, and gender-expression awareness
• Protection of confidential information
• Household members' expectations regarding foster care
• Pets, firearms, pools, ocean access, water hazards, smoking, vaping, marijuana, and other environmental risks
• Bedroom arrangements, privacy, storage, and approved household capacity
• Placement preferences regarding children's ages, sibling groups, medical conditions, developmental disabilities, behavioral needs, and therapeutic needs
• The family's strengths, limitations, support needs, and continuing education needs
• Ability to maintain required documentation and cooperate with annual relicensing and ongoing Child Welfare Services supervision

Timeline

Hawaii generally expects the home study to be completed within the overall 90-day licensing period whenever possible. Completion depends upon scheduling interviews, receiving references and medical documentation, completing background screening, conducting home inspections, correcting safety concerns, and the overall complexity of the family's assessment.

Bedroom Rules

The home must provide safe, age-appropriate sleeping arrangements for every child. Each foster child must have an individual bed with appropriate bedding and adequate storage for clothing and personal belongings. Bedrooms must provide reasonable privacy, proper lighting, ventilation, emergency exits, and sufficient space. Sleeping arrangements are evaluated according to children's ages, developmental needs, sibling relationships, trauma histories, behaviors, and supervision requirements. Foster children may not routinely sleep in living rooms, garages, unfinished areas, or other inappropriate locations.

Smoke Detectors

Working smoke detectors must be installed throughout the residence in accordance with Hawaii law and local fire codes. Carbon-monoxide detectors must also be installed where required. The home inspection verifies that required detectors are present, operational, and properly maintained.

Fire Extinguisher

The home must maintain appropriate fire-safety equipment, including a readily accessible fire extinguisher. Resource caregivers must maintain written emergency evacuation procedures and ensure household members understand evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and disaster plans appropriate for Hawaii, including hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding, and volcanic events where applicable.

Medications

Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, marijuana products, controlled substances, and medical supplies must be securely stored where children cannot access them. Medication storage should reflect the ages, developmental abilities, and behavioral needs of children placed in the home. Controlled medications may require additional safeguards.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning products, poisonous substances, pesticides, automotive chemicals, fuels, alcohol, marijuana products, pool chemicals, sharp tools, vaping liquids, and other hazardous materials must be safely stored and inaccessible to children. Hazardous substances should remain in their original labeled containers whenever practical.

Firearms

Firearms must be unloaded, securely locked, and inaccessible to children. Ammunition must generally be stored separately in locked storage. Keys, combinations, trigger locks, safes, or other access devices must remain under adult control. Child Welfare Services verifies firearm storage during the home inspection.

Pools

Swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds, oceanfront access, streams, irrigation ditches, and other water hazards must be protected against unauthorized child access whenever possible. Appropriate safeguards may include fences, self-latching gates, safety covers, rescue equipment, alarms, supervision plans, or other protective measures required by Child Welfare Services. Children must receive continuous adult supervision around water.

Pets

Animals must not present an unreasonable safety risk to children. Resource caregivers are responsible for maintaining current vaccinations, veterinary care, sanitation, supervision, and safe interactions between children and animals. Animals displaying aggressive behavior or presenting a foreseeable danger may require additional restrictions, safety plans, or removal from the home.

Vehicle Requirements

Vehicles used to transport foster children must be legally registered, properly insured, safely maintained, and operated by licensed drivers. Seat belts and age-appropriate child restraints must be used at all times as required by Hawaii law. Resource caregivers must maintain reliable transportation suitable for meeting children's daily needs.

Fingerprinting

Hawaii requires FBI fingerprint-based criminal-history background checks for all foster-parent applicants, spouses, and adult household members as required by law. Fingerprint clearance must be completed before licensure may be granted.

Child Abuse Registry

Applicants and adult household members complete Hawaii child-abuse and neglect background screening. Adults who have lived outside Hawaii during the previous five years must also complete child-abuse and neglect registry checks from applicable states under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.

Criminal History

Background screening includes Hawaii criminal-history records, FBI criminal-history records, child-welfare history, and other records required by Hawaii law. Criminal-history information is evaluated together with references, interviews, home-study findings, rehabilitation information, and any other information relevant to child safety.

Disqualifying Offenses

Certain felony convictions and other serious offenses permanently prohibit foster-home licensure under federal law and Hawaii statutes. Other criminal histories may require individualized review considering the nature of the offense, rehabilitation, time elapsed, supporting documentation, and whether the applicant presents any current risk to children. Certain offenses cannot be approved regardless of rehabilitation.

Additional Checks

Additional screening may include prior foster-care or adoption history, previous home studies, court records, protective-order history, driving records, references, employment involving children, prior licensing records, out-of-state child-protection records, rehabilitation documentation, and any additional information Child Welfare Services determines necessary to evaluate the safety and suitability of the home.

Steps

• Submit an online Resource Caregiver application through the Hawaii Resource Caregivers portal.
• Participate in an Ask a Resource Caregiver information session or other introductory orientation.
• Determine whether applying for a general resource-family license or a child-specific license.
• Complete all required H.A.N.A.I. preservice training sessions.
• Submit all required licensing forms and supporting documentation.
• Complete FBI fingerprint-based criminal-history background screening for all required household adults.
• Complete Hawaii and out-of-state child-abuse and neglect registry checks when applicable.
• Provide all required references, health questionnaires, tuberculosis clearances, income verification, and employment documentation.
• Participate in the Resource Family Home Study, including interviews with applicants and household members.
• Complete the Resource Family Home Inspection and correct any identified safety concerns.
• Submit any additional medical documentation, rehabilitation records, or written safety plans requested by Child Welfare Services.
• Receive final review and approval by Hawaii Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services.
• Maintain annual training, cooperate with ongoing supervision, and complete annual relicensing requirements to remain licensed.

Average Timeline

Hawaii's Resource Caregiver Licensing Checklist establishes a goal of completing the licensing process within approximately 90 days after the application is signed for general applicants or within 90 days of placement for child-specific applicants. Completion depends upon timely submission of required documents, background screening, interviews, home inspection, and correction of any licensing deficiencies.

Renewal Requirements

Resource caregiver approval must be renewed annually. Renewal includes updated home visits, review of household composition, verification that licensing standards continue to be met, completion of required annual training, updated health or background information when required, review of significant household changes, and continued approval by Child Welfare Services.

Ongoing Training

Licensed resource caregivers complete annual renewal training assigned by Child Welfare Services. Additional child-specific education may include trauma-informed caregiving, behavioral intervention, medication administration, developmental disabilities, medically fragile children, Native Hawaiian cultural awareness, reunification support, infant care, water safety, normalcy, adolescent development, or other specialized topics depending upon the needs of children placed in the home.

How Placements Work

Following approval, Child Welfare Services or the supervising licensing agency contacts resource caregivers when a child requires placement. Placement specialists consider the family's approved capacity, strengths, location, transportation resources, experience, cultural background, household composition, and placement preferences. Decisions also consider sibling relationships, school stability, family connections, Native Hawaiian cultural identity when appropriate, behavioral and medical needs, permanency goals, and the child's overall best interests.

Can Decline Placements

Yes. Resource caregivers may decline any placement they do not believe they can safely or appropriately support. Families are encouraged to request available information regarding the child's age, behaviors, medical needs, medications, educational needs, visitation schedule, transportation requirements, cultural considerations, supervision needs, permanency plan, and available support services before accepting placement. Declining a placement does not automatically affect the family's license.

Emergency Placements

Child Welfare Services may request emergency placements whenever children require immediate protective care. Licensed resource caregivers may receive placement requests at any time. Hawaii also permits emergency placement with approved relatives or other connected caregivers when authorized by law while additional licensing requirements are completed. Emergency placements remain subject to ongoing assessment, court review, and licensing requirements.

Sibling Groups

Hawaii makes every reasonable effort to place siblings together whenever safe and consistent with their best interests. Placement workers consider the home's licensed capacity, available bedroom space, caregiver experience, transportation resources, supervision, and support services when evaluating sibling-group placements. When siblings cannot safely remain together, Child Welfare Services seeks to preserve sibling relationships through visitation, communication, cultural activities, and coordinated permanency planning whenever appropriate.

Age Preferences

During the home study, applicants identify the ages, number of children, sibling groups, medical conditions, developmental disabilities, behavioral needs, cultural considerations, and placement types they feel prepared to support. Placement decisions balance these preferences with each child's individual needs and the family's demonstrated strengths and abilities.

Monthly Board Rate

Licensed Hawaii resource caregivers receive monthly foster-board payments intended to offset the ordinary costs of caring for children placed in their homes. Payment amounts vary according to the child's age, approved level of care, and eligibility for Difficulty of Care payments or other specialized services. Current reimbursement schedules should always be confirmed with Hawaii Child Welfare Services because payment amounts may change over time.

Clothing Allowance

Routine clothing expenses are generally included within the monthly foster-board payment. Additional assistance may be available for emergency placements, school clothing, uniforms, seasonal clothing, or extraordinary clothing needs as approved by Child Welfare Services.

Daycare Assistance

Childcare assistance may be available when necessary to support the child's placement and allow the resource caregiver to maintain employment, attend required training, participate in court proceedings, or meet other approved responsibilities. Eligibility, provider approval, reimbursement procedures, and authorization depend upon the child's circumstances and Child Welfare Services policy.

Medical Coverage

Children placed in Hawaii foster care generally receive Medicaid or another qualifying healthcare program. Resource caregivers coordinate medical, dental, behavioral-health, developmental, pharmacy, specialty-care, and emergency services through Child Welfare Services, healthcare providers, managed-care organizations when applicable, and other authorized service providers.

Mileage Reimbursement

Mileage reimbursement or transportation assistance may be available for travel required by the child's case plan, including family visitation, medical appointments, counseling, educational meetings, court appearances, evaluations, placement transitions, cultural activities, and other approved travel. Reimbursement procedures and documentation requirements are determined by Child Welfare Services.

Additional Benefits

Depending upon the child's individual needs and placement type, additional assistance may include Difficulty of Care payments, respite care, childcare assistance, transportation support, behavioral-health consultation, educational assistance, developmental-disability services, tutoring, specialized therapeutic services, independent-living services for eligible youth, cultural support programs, and other state- or federally authorized benefits.

Respite Care

Respite care may be available to provide temporary relief for licensed resource caregivers and help maintain placement stability. Respite providers must satisfy applicable approval requirements established by Child Welfare Services. Availability and funding vary according to the child's needs, placement type, and local resources.

Support Groups

Resource caregivers may participate in support groups sponsored by Hawaii Child Welfare Services, Catholic Charities Hawaii, community organizations, foster-parent associations, and other nonprofit partners. Support opportunities may include peer groups, educational workshops, conferences, caregiver networking, online meetings, and family activities.

Mentoring

Many newly licensed resource caregivers receive mentoring from experienced caregivers or peer-support volunteers who provide practical guidance, encouragement, and assistance navigating placements, reunification, documentation, visitation, cultural issues, and communication with Child Welfare Services.

Counseling

Behavioral-health and counseling services for children are coordinated through Child Welfare Services, Medicaid providers, schools, hospitals, community mental-health agencies, developmental-service providers, private therapists, Native Hawaiian community organizations, and other authorized professionals. Resource caregivers also receive consultation regarding trauma-informed caregiving, child development, educational advocacy, and behavioral support.

Crisis Support

Licensed resource caregivers receive assistance from their Child Welfare Services worker, licensing worker, after-hours emergency contacts, behavioral-health providers, crisis-response services, law enforcement when necessary, emergency medical services, and other community partners. Caregivers are expected to immediately report significant medical, behavioral, legal, placement, runaway, abuse, or safety concerns involving children placed in their homes.

Available

Yes. Hawaii allows approved resource caregivers to be considered as adoptive families when adoption becomes the child's approved permanency plan. Resource caregivers are expected to actively support reunification, family visitation, cultural connections, and the child's current case plan while understanding that some children may later become legally available for adoption if reunification and other permanency options are no longer appropriate.

Process

Children generally enter Hawaii foster care with reunification as the initial permanency goal whenever it can be safely achieved. Throughout the case, Child Welfare Services evaluates reunification, placement with relatives or other connected caregivers, guardianship, and adoption. If the Family Court changes the permanency plan to adoption, prospective adoptive families are evaluated. A resource caregiver currently caring for the child may be considered based upon the child's attachments, stability, sibling relationships, family and cultural connections, Native Hawaiian cultural identity when appropriate, special needs, wishes when developmentally appropriate, and overall best interests. Additional adoption-specific documentation, legal proceedings, subsidy negotiations, and Family Court approval are required before adoption is finalized.

Legal Risk

Every foster-care placement involves legal uncertainty until parental rights have been voluntarily relinquished or terminated, appeals have concluded, and the court approves adoption. Children may reunify with parents, be placed with relatives or other connected caregivers, enter guardianship, or achieve another permanency outcome. Resource caregivers are expected to fully support reunification and healthy family relationships regardless of whether they hope to adopt.

Adoption Subsidy

Eligible children adopted from Hawaii foster care may qualify for Hawaii Adoption Assistance. Benefits may include a negotiated monthly adoption subsidy, Medicaid coverage, reimbursement of qualifying non-recurring adoption expenses, and approved post-adoption services. Adoption-assistance agreements are generally negotiated and signed before adoption finalization.

Available

Yes. Hawaii strongly encourages placement with relatives and other adults who have significant relationships with the child whenever safe and appropriate. Kinship caregivers may include grandparents, adult siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents, family friends, neighbors, teachers, coaches, church members, or other adults who have an established relationship with the child. Hawaii recognizes the importance of preserving family, culture, community, and island connections whenever possible.

Licensing Differences

Hawaii offers both general resource-family licensure and child-specific resource-family licensure. Relatives or other connected caregivers caring for a specific child may pursue child-specific approval while completing applicable licensing requirements. Child-specific applicants generally complete the licensing process within 90 days after placement while continuing to meet Child Welfare Services safety standards.

Financial Support

Financial assistance depends upon the child's legal status, placement type, and caregiver eligibility. Available assistance may include foster-board payments for licensed resource caregivers, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, childcare assistance, Supplemental Security Income when applicable, Adoption Assistance, guardianship assistance when eligible, Difficulty of Care payments, Kinship Navigator resources, and other state or federally authorized support services.

Can I become a resource caregiver if I am single?

Yes. Hawaii welcomes qualified single adults, married couples, and other eligible households who meet all licensing requirements.

How old must I be?

Applicants must generally be at least 21 years old.

Do I have to own my home?

No. Applicants may rent or own their residence provided it meets Hawaii's resource-family licensing and safety standards.

Can I work full time?

Yes. Resource caregivers may work outside the home if reliable childcare, supervision, transportation, and scheduling arrangements are available for children placed in their care.

Do I need a certain income?

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial stability to support their household independently of foster-board payments.

How much preservice training is required?

Hawaii requires completion of the H.A.N.A.I. preservice curriculum before licensure. Current DHS materials describe approximately 14 to 15 hours of required training depending on the publication referenced.

Is annual training required?

Yes. Licensed resource caregivers complete annual renewal training and any additional child-specific education required by Child Welfare Services.

Do I have to complete a home study?

Yes. Every applicant completes a comprehensive Resource Family Home Study that includes interviews, references, home visits, and assessment of the family's readiness to provide foster care.

Will everyone in my household undergo background screening?

Applicants, spouses, and required adult household members complete fingerprint-based criminal-history screening and child-abuse background checks. Additional out-of-state checks may also be required.

Can I have pets?

Yes. Pets are permitted when they are healthy, properly vaccinated, appropriately supervised, and do not present a safety risk to children.

Can I own firearms?

Yes. Firearms must be unloaded, securely locked, and stored separately from ammunition in accordance with Hawaii licensing requirements.

Can foster children share bedrooms?

Yes. Bedroom arrangements are evaluated individually according to children's ages, developmental needs, privacy, safety, sibling relationships, and licensing standards.

Can I choose the ages of children I care for?

Yes. Families discuss placement preferences during the home study, including age ranges, sibling groups, medical needs, developmental disabilities, behavioral needs, and cultural considerations.

Can I decline a placement?

Yes. Resource caregivers should accept only placements they believe they can safely and appropriately support.

Will I receive financial assistance?

Yes. Licensed resource caregivers receive monthly foster-board payments to help offset the ordinary costs of caring for children placed in their homes.

Do children receive healthcare?

Yes. Most children in Hawaii foster care receive Hawaii Medicaid or another qualifying healthcare program.

Is respite care available?

Yes. Approved respite services may be available through Child Welfare Services or supervising agencies to support placement stability and caregiver well-being.

Can I adopt a child placed with me?

Possibly. If reunification and other permanency options are no longer appropriate and adoption becomes the child's approved permanency plan, the resource caregiver may be considered.

Does foster placement guarantee adoption?

No. Foster placement alone does not guarantee adoption. The child's best interests always determine the permanency decision.

Does Hawaii prioritize kinship placements?

Yes. Hawaii gives priority to safe placement with relatives and other connected caregivers whenever appropriate and consistent with the child's best interests.

Who do I contact to report suspected child abuse or neglect?

Call the Hawaii Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-888-380-3088. Call 911 immediately if a child is in immediate danger.

State Agency

Hawaii Department of Human Services — Social Services Division — Child Welfare Services Branch

Phone

Resource Caregiver Information: 808-832-1999; Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 1-888-380-3088

Email

[email protected]

Address

Hawaii Department of Human Services, 1390 Miller Street, Honolulu, HI 96813