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| Saline County CASA 102 S. Main PO Box 145 Benton, AR 72018 501-303-5703 salinecountycasa@sbcglobal.net |
FAQ The CASA volunteer: A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those for whom home placement is being determined in magistrate court. Most of the children are victims of abuse and neglect. The CASA volunteer's role: A CASA volunteer provides a judge with carefully researched background of the child to help the court make a sound decision about that child's future. The CASA volunteer must determine if it is in a child's best interest to stay with his or her parents or guardians, be placed in foster care, be placed with other relatives, or be freed for permanent adoption. The CASA volunteer follows through on the case until it is permanently resolved. Typical CASA volunteer: CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds. There are more than 58,000 CASA volunteers nationally. Aside from their CASA volunteer responsibility, 52% are employed in regular full-time jobs; the majority tends to be professionals. 82% of the volunteers nationwide are women; 18% are men. The Difference between an Attorney and a CASA Volunteer: The CASA volunteer does not role of the attorney. However, the CASA volunteer does provide crucial background information that assists attorneys in presenting their cases. It is important to remember that CASA volunteers do not represent a child’s wishes in court. Rather, they speak to the child’s best interests. The Difference between a Social Service Caseworker and a CASA Volunteer: Social workers generally are employed by state governments. They sometimes work on as many as 60 to 90 cases at a time and are frequently unable to conduct a comprehensive investigation of each. The CASA worker is a volunteer with more time and a smaller caseload (an average of 1-2 at a time). The CASA volunteer does not replace a social worker on a case; he/she is an independent appointee of the court. The CASA volunteer can thoroughly examine a child's case, has knowledge of community resources, and can make a recommendation to the court. Effectiveness of CASA: Preliminary findings show that children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and less time within the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation. Judges have observed that CASA children also have better chances of finding permanent homes than on non-CASA children. Caseload of a CASA volunteer: The number varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but an average caseload is one to two. Time Required: Each case is different. A CASA volunteer usually spends about 10 hours doing research and conducting interviews prior to the first court appearance. More complicated cases take longer. Once initiated into the system, volunteers work about 10-15 hours a month. Length of Involvement: The volunteer continues until the case is permanently resolved. One of the primary benefits of the CASA program is that, unlike other court principals who often rotate cases, the CASA volunteer is a consistent figure in the proceedings, and provides continuity for a child. Investigating a Case: To prepare a recommendation, the CASA volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school officials, health providers and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history. The CASA volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child -- school, medical and case worker reports; and other documents. Relating to the Child being Represented: CASA volunteers offer children trust and advocacy during complex legal proceedings. They explain to the child the events that are happening, the reasons they all are in court, and the roles the judge, lawyers, and social workers play. CASA volunteers also encourage the child to express his/her own opinion and hopes, while remaining objective observers. Supporters of CASA: Lawyers, judges and social caseworkers support CASA. Juvenile and family court judges implement the CASA program in their courtrooms and appoint volunteers. CASA has been endorsed by the American Bar Association, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice. urt independent of state agency restrictions. The Federal Government and CASA: CASA is a priority project of the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The office encourages the establishment of new CASA programs, assists established CASA programs, and provides partial funding for the National CASA Association. Number of CASA Programs: Today there are more than 900 CASA programs in every state across the country including Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers are the Heart of the CASA Program: A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of a child in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those for whom home placement is being determined in juvenile court. Most of the children are victims of abuse and neglect. |
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