If you’re starting the adoption process in Hawaii, you may wonder how the home study works. This guide can help couples working through adoption in Hawaii prepare for this essential adoption step.

If you're ready to talk to an adoption specialist about adoption and the home study, reach out to us via our free online form.

What is a Hawaii adoption home study?

Essentially, an adoption home study is an assessment of a family’s readiness to adopt. It involves a social worker coming into your home and reviewing every detail of your life, and it can seem very intimidating. However, we’re here to reassure you that your home study provider is really only there to help you on your road to adopting a child. In addition to determining whether or not you are currently ready, your home study provider will help you to learn more about adoption in Hawaii and to prepare to welcome your adopted child into your home.

The Hawaii adoption home study is comprised of three main parts: a documentation stage, a home inspection, and interviews with each of your family members that live in the home. In addition to ensuring that everyone in your family is physically, mentally and financially healthy enough to provide a safe environment for a child, it will also ensure that everyone is excited about and on board with the adoption process.

How does the Hawaii home study for adoption process work?

It’s easy to assume that the Hawaii adoption home study process is complicated, but it can actually be knocked out in just a few simple steps:

1. Choose a home study provider near you. In Hawaii, these can be completed by Hawaii International Child.

2. Complete background checks with law enforcement. This will require submitting your fingerprints in order to get your criminal records. Should there be anything on your criminal record, know that this does not necessarily disqualify you from adopting.

3. Meet with your home study provider to determine everything else you’ll need for the Hawaii adoption home study.

4. See the below Hawaii adoption home study checklist to begin preparing everything for your home study provider in advance.

5. Receive the social worker in your home to complete the home inspection and the interviews with each of your family members.

6. Wait to receive the final home study documents in the mail. Upon their arrival, you should review them to ensure that everything is accurate, and notify your home study provider immediately if you find any mistakes or corrections.

As long as all of the information in your home study is correct, you’re done with the home study process and can begin working with an adoption agency! Keep in mind that you must notify your home study provider of any major life changes.

Hawaii Adoption Home Study Checklist                                                 

Because the documentation stage of the Hawaii adoption home study process is easily the most time-consuming, we’ve compiled a list of some documents you can begin preparing ahead of time:

• Birth certificates

• Driver's licenses and proof of insurance

• Marriage certificate

• Passports in the event of an international adoption situation

• Up-to-date health records and proof of checkups

• Background checks and clearances from all relevant law enforcement branches

• Financial statements such as pay stubs or tax returns to verify that you can financially provide for a child

• Contact information of three to five references

• Autobiographical statements to help your home study provider get to know you better

It’s also important to make sure your home has the following:

• Smoke detectors

• CO2 detectors

• Lids on trash cans

• Fire extinguishers

• Working locks and screens on all windows and doors

• Fences around any bodies of water

• Covered outlets

• Emergency phone numbers clearly listed

• A home evacuation plan

• A first-aid kit

To learn more about the Hawaii adoption home study and what to expect, please contact a local home study provider. To learn more about adopting a child in Hawaii with our agency, please contact American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION. 

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