Kids First Program

Kids First is a program created by the Hawai'i State Judiciary to help families going through divorce or separation, with a special focus on the kids. It’s a required class because we know this time can be confusing, painful, and overwhelming-especially for children.

Every year on O'ahu, around 5,000 divorce cases are filed. About half of those involve children, and in many of those families-roughly 700 cases-there are early disputes over custody or visitation. Parents, judges, and professionals in the community began noticing something important: kids were having a hard time. They were hurting, struggling, and often didn’t understand what was happening.

Research tells us that divorce can affect children in different ways, sometimes for years, if families don’t get the right support. And because divorce and custody issues involve ongoing relationships-not just legal decisions-it’s important to help families build healthy ways of moving forward together.