128 HAWAII PARENT March/April 2024 enough to be adopted at the age of three years old. While my parents were sure I was the child for them, as I was with them at 12 days, it was not a simple process of paperwork and documents. Because I was a foster child, not only did they first become my foster parents, but a two-year-long court battle with a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars ensued. Was the process of my adoption difficult and frustrating at times? Yes. However, were my parents ever unsure of me becoming theirs? Did they ever think they would lose the fight? Absolutely not. Overall, adoption, whether it be a foster child or not, can be complicated, scary, even full of uncertainties. Is it the right decision? Is it what the child needs? Is it in the best interest of the child? From my The court will then seek an adoptive family for the child. In some cases, the child may already be living with a family that is eligible to adopt them. But they will not be in their official custody or have any parental rights. It is only after the termination of biological parental rights that the child may be adopted by their foster parents. Each state and area may vary on rules and regulations, so be sure to check with your local adoption agency. Despite the end goal being for children to reunite with their biological family, oftentimes it enables the adoption of the children instead. Likewise, in Hawaii, out of the 2,766 children in the foster care system, 878 of the keiki are waiting to be with their forever ohana. As for me, I was lucky Contact either the Partners in Development Foundation or Family Programs Hawaii to begin working on the steps to adopt from foster care. “In Hawaii, out of the 2,766 children in the foster care system, 878 of the keiki are waiting to be with their forever ohana.”
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