With only a handful of attorneys and sometimes few social workers to serve them, many local abused, neglected, or abandoned children need extra support.
This is where Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children steps in. A CASA worker is a specially trained volunteer who advocates on behalf of an assigned child in order to meet the child’s best interests in finding a permanent and safe home.
In light of National Child Abuse Prevention month, CASA recently launched the “30 in 30 Drive”—aiming to gain a new volunteer every day during the month of April.
“We’re the ones who will be there when the child falls through the cracks and prevention hasn’t worked,” said Kim Davis, executive director of CASA of Santa Barbara County.
There are currently 178 advocates in the county and more than 500 children in need of an advocate. Nationally, more than 50,000 volunteers serve more than 180,000 children.
Advocates must undergo 30 hours of training and a background screening and must be able to work alongside legal system professionals, including judges and attorneys, and report their observations of the child’s life to the court. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old and must make a one-year commitment.
Advocates come from various backgrounds and are only required to meet with their assigned child for an hour once a week. Davis stresses that anyone can make the time to become an advocate.
“People think they don’t have the time to be an advocate until they retire,” she said. “But the truth is, advocates make the time.”
Another misconception Davis addressed is the nature of the foster children CASA serves—they aren’t always delinquent or troubled youth.
“These kids have done nothing wrong,” she said. “They are the victims of the failure of a parent.”
Thus, advocates spend as much time as they can with their assigned child, observing the world in which the child lives and formally reporting the observations to the court.
“We are their voice, and the eyes and ears of the court,” advocate and board member Lisa Murray said.
Murray said it isn’t a financial burden to become an advocate, since CASA has plenty of community resources to provide an enjoyable time for advocates and their assigned children.
As of April 6, about a third of the drive’s goal had been met.
If you’re interested in becoming an advocate for a child in need, send an e-mail to volunteer@sbcasa.org or call 739-9102.
Intern Sarah Parr compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 14-21, 2011.