How to Become a Foster Parent in Hawaii
According to the Foster Care Month website, thousands of children in Hawaii are in the foster care system. Because laws prevent foster parents from taking in too many children, there are shortages of foster parents all children available. Foster parents need to meet certain basic requirements and complete an application process and training provided by the Hawaii Department of Human Services. If you want to be a temporary caregiver to children who need a loving and nurturing environment in which to grow, a few steps can lead you in the right direction.
Things You'll Need
- Application form
- Birth certificate
- Proof of citizenship
- Immunization records
- Marriage or divorce records
- Financial statements.
Instructions
Meet the General Requirements
Meet the requirement of being between 21 to 65 years of age. You must be able to proof your finances to show a feasible source of income to cover yourself and household expenses. Although foster parents will receive compensation from the state of Hawaii to cover clothing and food cost of the child, you will still need to show your financial status. Meet the requirements of a good physical condition. The state of Hawaii wants to know you are capable of physically caring for a child. Everyone living in the home must go through a health assessment and up-to-date immunizations. Make sure you meet the relationship and marital status requirements. The state of Hawaii views relationships as something that could potentially affect your care for the child. If you are single, have been married for 12 to 24 months or divorced for at least a year, you will be eligible to become a foster parent. The Application Process
Fill out the basic application which can be found at your local office of the Hawaii Department of Human Services. The application is used to determine if you meet the basic requirements to become a foster parent. Submit any paperwork or proof such as your birth certificate, immunization records, marriage or divorce records if applicable, and financial statements. Agree to a background check. The Department of Human Services will perform background checks on you and anyone living in the house. You will need to be fingerprinted and to supply three references from friends, co-workers and anyone else who knows you well. Convictions due to abuse and domestic violence will eliminate you from the process of becoming a foster parent. Prepare for the family and home assessment. An agent from the Hawaii Department of Human Services will conduct a home study. The agent will interview you and any household members and, with the assessment, decide if you are suitable to be a foster parent. The agent will also assess your home to make sure you have adequate sleeping arrangements and working emergency devices like smoke detectors. Your household pets should have up-to-date checkups, and medicines should be out of reach and locked up. Attend HANAI, an 18-hour pre-service training program that the Department of Human Services sponsors. In the training, you will be taught strategies to provide a safe and nurturing environment for foster children. Contact the Human Services department after completion of your training program and wait until it has finalized your documents. Foster care programs in your area will receive information regarding your application, assessment and background information. Once the office has verified your documents, you will be in its database, so it can contact you by phone regarding housing a foster child.
