Hawaii Foster Care Respite Care and Support Groups for Resource Caregivers

Foster care is demanding work. The children placed in resource homes have experienced trauma, and the ongoing work of providing stability for a child whose world has been destabilized is real and sustained. Burnout is one of the primary reasons resource caregivers stop — and it is one of the most preventable.

Hawaii has built support infrastructure specifically for resource caregivers, including respite care funding and peer support groups. Knowing these resources exist and how to use them is part of sustaining a fostering commitment long-term.

Respite Care in Hawaii

Respite care is temporary relief care — another approved caregiver looks after the foster child for a short period so you can rest, handle personal matters, attend to other family needs, or simply decompress. It is not a sign that you are struggling; it is a normal part of sustainable caregiving.

How Hawaii's Respite Funding Works

Hawaii DHS provides respite funding for licensed resource caregivers, subject to fiscal year availability. The funding can be used to pay for:

• A DHS-approved babysitter to care for the child in your home
• A placement at another licensed resource family home for a temporary period
• A combination of both, depending on the arrangement

The respite funding is not unlimited and is tied to the state's budget cycle. This means it can run out later in the fiscal year. The practical advice from experienced caregivers: use respite funds when you need them rather than waiting until you are at a breaking point, because the funds may not be available when crisis hits.

How to Request Respite

Contact your DHS worker to initiate a respite request. They will document the request, verify funding availability, and help coordinate the approved arrangement. If you have a specific caregiver in mind — another licensed resource family you trust, or an approved sitter you know — bring that suggestion to the conversation rather than leaving it entirely to DHS to arrange.

The caregiver providing respite care must be approved by DHS. You cannot simply drop the child with a friend who is not in the system, even for a short period, without DHS authorization.

The Warm Line as First-Response Support

Before a situation rises to the level of needing formal respite, many caregivers find that a phone call to the Warm Line de-escalates things effectively.

Resource Caregiver Warm Line (operated by Catholic Charities Hawaii):

• Oahu: (808) 545-1130
• Neighbor Islands: 1-866-545-0882
• Email: [email protected]
• Hours: 7 days a week, 8:30 AM – 10:00 PM

The Warm Line is staffed by people who understand foster care from the inside. It is not a hotline that logs complaints or creates formal case notes — it is genuinely for support, practical advice, and de-escalation. If a child has had a difficult behavioral episode, if you are questioning your capacity, if you just need to talk through a situation with someone who gets it, this is the resource designed exactly for that.

Support Groups for Hawaii Resource Caregivers

Peer support — connecting with other resource caregivers — has practical and emotional value that professional support cannot fully replicate. Other caregivers who are in the middle of the same experience understand things that friends and family outside the system simply do not.

Family Programs Hawaii

Family Programs Hawaii operates the "It Takes an 'Ohana" program, which provides support groups, resources, and community for Hawaii resource caregivers. Their support programming includes:

• Peer support groups for foster and kinship caregivers (schedules vary by island and season)
• Resource sharing and referrals
• Advocacy work on behalf of resource families at the policy level

Family Programs Hawaii also operates the Warm Line mentioned above, making them a primary point of contact for both crisis support and ongoing community.

Website: ittakesanohana.org Phone: Available through the Warm Line numbers above

Catholic Charities Hawaii Statewide Resource Families (SRF) Program

Catholic Charities Hawaii manages the Statewide Resource Families program, which supports licensed caregivers with:

• Ongoing training opportunities (required for annual license renewal — 13 hours per year)
• Case coordination support
• Connections to community resources for foster children's specific needs
• Pre-service training and orientation support for new applicants

Catholic Charities is also the primary organization for therapeutic foster care (Nā 'Ohana Pulāma) placements, so caregivers in that program have an especially close working relationship with CCH.

Website: catholiccharitieshawaii.org

Child and Family Service

Child and Family Service provides therapeutic and support services across the islands, including programs that overlap with foster care support. They have multiple offices across Hawaii and work with DHS to provide case-specific services for children in care and support for their caregivers.

Contact: childandfamilyservice.org

Online and Social Media Communities

For Neighbor Island caregivers who have less access to in-person groups, online communities fill some of the gap:

• Facebook groups: "Hawaii Foster Parents" and "Hawaii Foster Care & Adoption" are the most active peer communities. These groups provide real-time advice, shared experience, and community connection — though be aware that information shared in these groups is not always accurate or current, particularly regarding specific DHS rules and rates.

• Hui Ho'omalu (Partners in Development Foundation): Operates primarily on Oahu but has expanded digital outreach for Neighbor Island families.

Making the Support System Work for You

The structure is there. The challenge is that people who are quietly managing get less of it — support flows toward those who ask for it, communicate with their workers, and engage with the support organizations that exist.

If a placement is getting difficult, tell your DHS worker before it reaches a breaking point. If you are approaching burnout, call the Warm Line before you are in crisis. If you are on a Neighbor Island and cannot access in-person groups, connect with the online communities and schedule a call with Catholic Charities Hawaii.

The goal of all of this — respite, warm lines, peer support, ongoing training — is to keep resource families in the system. Every experienced caregiver who leaves is a net loss for Hawaii's children, and the system knows that. The support resources exist because the state and the contracted agencies understand that sustainable caregiving requires sustained support.

For a complete overview of the Hawaii foster care system, including the licensing process, financial support, and caregiver resources, see the Hawaii Foster Care Licensing Guide.

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