Adoption Hawaii

Hawaii Adoption, Home Studies and More

Adoption Services for
Birth Parents and Adoptive Families

Please choose where you’d like to begin:

Information about placing
a child for adoption
or
Information about adopting a child

Are you in the Aloha State and are interested in adoption? Lifetime Adoption coordinators are ready to introduce you to modern adoption. If you think placing your child for adoption is the right choice for you or you hope to grow your family through adoption, our Lifetime can help. Lifetime coordinators will provide answers to your questions along with the resources and information you need to navigate the adoption process.

Pregnant and Considering Adoption in Hawaii

pregnant woman in LA
If you are experiencing an unwanted pregnancy, it can be hard to figure out where to turn for the necessary information to make the necessary decisions. You may ask the baby’s father, family, and friends, and they may all have different ideas about what you should do. This can all be very overwhelming.

What you need is someone calm to talk to who can provide all the information you need to choose the right option. When talking to a Lifetime coordinator, you will find a non-judgmental ear to listen to and a wealth of information. You can call, text, or fill in our online form. If you like, she can connect you with a professional or peer counselor. She will also explain modern adoption and what the adoption process is like.

What is the Adoption Process in Hawaii?

Expectant mothers in Hawaii can reach out to Lifetime Adoption coordinators who have guided women through the adoption process since 1986. First, call, text, or just fill out our online form. Your coordinator will find out what your hopes and wishes are for you and your baby and what resources are in need of.

There are adoptive family profiles online to look through, or your coordinator can send you some profiles to choose from. There are families in Hawaii and in most other states. Your coordinator will help you find a family that is open to the amount of contact you want as well.

Did you know that there are adoptive families interested in adopting a toddler or older child? In these cases, a professional counselor can work with you and the adoptive family to create a healthy transition plan and post-adoption agreement.

If you are expecting, your adoption coordinator will help you create a hospital plan which will cover details such as who will be in the delivery room, who will hold the baby first, and who will leave the hospital first. At no cost, you will have your own lawyer, who will make sure that you understand all your rights and will take care of all the paperwork and court filings.

Get In Touch

Open Adoption in Hawaii

How much do you know about modern, open adoption? If you are like most people, it is probably not a lot. Did you know, for example, today, birth parents choose the adoptive family? Did you know that you can get updates, pictures, and sometimes even visits in the future with your child and the adoptive family? Your Lifetime coordinator will explain all of this and help you come up with an adoption plan that is just right for you. In addition, she will ask you some personal questions, such as:

Do you have a particular type of family you can see your baby with?
What kind of contact can you envision in the future?
How would you like your hospital stay to go?
Are there pregnancy-related expenses you are having a hard time covering?

Life can be complicated, and sometimes placing your baby or children for adoption is the most loving and brave option, and it doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your child forever. You can have an open adoption that includes updates, photos, and even visits if that is your wish. We have birth mothers who have formed amazing relationships with the adoptive families of their child. A while ago, one of our courageous birth mothers was getting married and asked if it would be okay for her daughter to attend. It was, so her daughter was there, but just as special, the adoptive parents were there. The adoptive father was even asked to walk the bride down the aisle.

Help With Pregnancy Expenses and More

Cara reached out to Lifetime when she wanted to place her baby for adoption. She was in an abusive relationship and felt a change was needed, but she was now pregnant. With nowhere to live and new pregnancy-related expenses, she felt trapped. Her Lifetime coordinator told her that in the state of Hawaii, pregnancy-related expenses may covered. Your coordinator will work with your legal representative to determine what expenses are covered.

Adoption is not easy, so Lifetime has professional and peer counselors available for you at no cost. A counselor can help you through the decision-making choices, and with the emotions, you will deal with during the adoption process.

Hawaii Adoptive Families

No matter what you’re looking for in an adoptive family, you deserve to find the perfect one. Lifetime Adoption lets you search adoptive families from across the country and provides more adoptive family choices for you, giving you a greater chance of finding the right fit for your child. When you browse our family profiles, you can learn more about their:

Lifestyle
Reasons for adopting
Home and neighborhood
Values and religious beliefs
And much more!

Families Wanting to Adopt in Hawaii

Couple in U.S. Virgin Islands

Do you envision the adoption of a newborn, toddler, sibling set, or child up to the age of 6 in Hawaii? As one of the leaders in modern, open adoption, Lifetime can make your dreams come true. Lifetime has been matching birth mothers and hopeful adoptive families for over 30 years. We support our birth mothers and our adoptive families, making sure everyone has the resources they need.

Starting the Adoption Process

So, if you want to adopt, where do you begin? Just complete our short online application, which is free. Lifetime will review your application, and once pre-approved, a coordinator will introduce you to the adoption program. You will learn how to create a profile for birth mothers to view, who to contact to set up your home study, and access to the membership site, which you will use for the adoption process.

Our coordinators are experienced in guiding families through the program that Lifetime’s founder, Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., created after she completed the adoption of her son over 30 years ago. Since then, we have revised and continue to modernize our program and materials.

Adoption Laws in Hawaii

Hawaii adoption laws can seem hard to follow, but don’t worry. You will have legal representation. Your Lifetime coordinator will refer you to a professional adoption attorney in Hawaii.

Typically, in Hawaii, the timeline for legal documentation and the timeline for adoption are as follows:

Relinquishment papers may be filed at any time after the mother’s sixth month of pregnancy. No judgment may be entered until after the birth of the child.

The birth mother generally signs papers on the date of her discharge from the hospital. The adoptive parents can finalize their adoption after six months of the child being placed in their home. Consent can generally not be withdrawn after the child is placed with prospective adoptive parents.

Before you adopt, a home study is required.

Hawaii Home Studies

A home study is a legal document that varies from state to state but, in general, confirms your ability to parent, adopt a child, and keep them safe. A home study is required by every state before completing an adoption.

A home study includes but is not limited to the following:

Meet standards created by the Department of Human Services
Complete criminal history record checks and check on the child abuse and neglect registry

Lifetime Adoption coordinators look forward to guiding you through the adoption process, whether you are placing your child for adoption or hoping to adopt.