What is Voices for Children
Voices for Children recruits, trains and supports Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
What is a CASA
- CASA volunteers are everyday people like Juliana Copley who are committed to making a difference for children who might otherwise slip through the cracks in an overburdened foster care system.
- A CASA is appointed by judges to guide one child or one set of siblings during their time in the child welfare system.
- CASA volunteers research case records and speak to each person involved in a child’s life, including family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. They monitor the progress of the child and family throughout the case and advocate for the child’s current and future needs in court, in school, and in agency meetings. Their independent evaluations allow the court to make better informed decisions.
- Because CASA volunteers serve on one case at a time, they truly get to know the child and family and can give each case the sustained, personal attention it deserves.
Why do children need CASA volunteers
It is difficult to think about a child experiencing abuse or not receiving the basic needs they must have to live and be safe. Yet that is exactly why children have been removed from their homes and enter foster care. When a child enters foster care, their world suddenly includes a new home, often a new school and classmates, social workers, lawyers, and court hearings. It is during this time that they need the support of a caring adult more than ever. While the foster care system has many talented and passionate professionals, it is also overburdened. Many children feel very much alone—until they meet their CASAs.
