You can change a child’s story as a CASA volunteer.
Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are regular people who speak up for the best interests of abused and neglected children. They go through training and are sworn in by a judge, then assigned to children involved in local family court cases.
CASA volunteers get to know the child or children on their cases — what their interests are, how they’re doing in school, who they look up to. They also interview adults involved in the children’s lives, including biological parents, foster parents, teachers, counselors and doctors. And they have access to all records concerning the children, enabling them to gain a thorough understanding of each child’s situation and what they need to succeed.
CASA volunteers compile what they learn into reports they file before each court hearing in their children’s cases. The judge on the case gets the CASA report, including recommendations on what would be in the best interest of the child, in advance of the hearing. The report helps inform the judge’s decisions, with the ultimate goal of shortening the length of the case and returning each child to a safe, loving and permanent home as quickly as possible.
CASA Volunteers Build Lasting Friendships
CASA volunteers befriend the children they advocate for. They play games with them, listen to their worries and fears, take an interest in what they like. Over and over again, they show up for their children, many of whom are missing that kind of consistency in their lives.
CASA volunteers are not just advocates for their children, they are friends, mentors and role models. No matter how many times all the other people in a child’s life change, their CASA volunteer sticks with them for the entirety of their case. Many volunteers remain friends with the children they advocated for into adulthood.
CASA Volunteers Get Results
Research has shown that children with a CASA volunteer receive more services and are moved less frequently during their cases (1). It’s also been shown that children with a CASA volunteer have an increased sense of hope about the future(2). And that’s for good reason — children who are assigned a CASA volunteer are half as likely to re-enter the child welfare system(3).
CASA volunteers help judges make big decisions — and little ones — that can radically alter the trajectory of a child’s life.
One CASA of Lexington volunteer may have saved a child’s life when she looked back through her medical records to discover she wasn’t receiving medication she needed for a problem with her kidneys. No one else on the case had the time available to do the research, and the child had been moved so many times, the record of her medical need had been lost and forgotten.
Another CASA of Lexington volunteer was assigned to a case of a girl in elementary school who was about to be moved into a remedial reading class. The volunteer got to know the child and learned she always saw letters as “fuzzy” and thought that was just how they were supposed to look. The volunteer recommended an eye exam and glasses, and within two weeks, the girl was moved into her class’ advanced reading group.
CASA Volunteers Commit to the Work
New CASA volunteers complete a 30-hour training course that covers a wide range of topics relevant to the work they will be doing. Once they are sworn in by a judge and assigned to a child, a CASA volunteer typically spends 5-10 hours a month working their case.
CASA volunteers attend regular court hearings, usually once every three months. But much of the work is scheduled on their own time, making it a good fit for people working full-time jobs, students in college and retirees alike.
CASA volunteers also complete 12 hours of continuing education every year, bettering themselves and their understanding of the complex situations their children are in.
Becoming a CASA volunteer is different from a lot of other volunteer opportunities. It requires more commitment and consistency, but it’s also truly rewarding to know the work you put in can change the future for a child and their family.
Are You Ready to Make a Difference?
If you want to become a CASA volunteer, you can get started today! Fill out an application, learn more about the problem of child abuse and neglect, learn more about our training for new volunteers, or email us with questions.
If it’s not the right time in your life to be a CASA volunteer, you can still support CASA of Lexington by becoming a donor or Friend of CASA . Friends of CASA help staff special events, interpret for families who don’t speak English, help with fundraising efforts and more. Donors make our work possible by funding our annual expenses.