One Child at a Time

One Child at a Time
Author: Yolanda Bryant
Publisher: Freeze Time Media
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2014-12
Genre:
ISBN: 9780991355075

When children are taken from their family, due to abuse or neglect, they enter the custody of social services and are put into a foster home. Some of these children are lucky enough to be given a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). "One Child at a Time: The Mission of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)" shares the experiences of CASAs working to give children a voice in court, and a chance to return to a safe home, or to find a new forever home. First, you will meet Kelly, an engaging three-year-old that told her CASA the first time they met, "The people came and took me away from my mommy and daddy. I was crying and crying. I had to go and see a doctor. The doctor gave me a stuffed animal to make me feel better, but it didn't help." The words of this small child floored the author. She seemed to have a better understanding of her feelings than many children much older. It's no wonder that the author would become Kelly's biggest advocate. The second section of the book is a compilation of experiences and feelings from a variety of CASA volunteers. All kinds of people do this work; the only requirement is a love for children. Volunteers are trained for two weeks before starting a case. Along the way, when questions or concerns arise, each volunteer has a supervisor from the CASA office that they can turn to for advice and a listening ear. The joy of seeing a child find the happiness and security each one deserves is an experience that fills a CASA's heart with their own joy and happiness. It is the reason CASAs become hooked from the moment they take a case and meet their children.

National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association

National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release:
Genre:
ISBN:

Features the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association, an organization for trained community volunteers who speak for the best interests of children in court. Notes that the national headquarters of CASA is located in Seattle, Washington. Posts contact information via mailing address, toll-free telephone number, and e-mail. Contains information on volunteering for the program and other ways to help. Provides a directory of state CASA programs. Offers real stories about volunteer experiences. Links to other children's organizations and supporters' home pages.

Foster the Family

Foster the Family
Author: Jamie C. Finn
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2022-02-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 149343442X

There are great rewards that come along with being a foster parent, yet there are also great challenges that can leave you feeling depleted, alone, and discouraged. The many burdens of a foster parent's day--hurting children, struggling biological parents, and a broken system--are only compounded by the many burdens of a foster parent's heart--confusion, anxiety, heartache, anger, and fear. With the compassion and insight of a fellow foster parent, Jamie C. Finn helps you see your struggles through the lens of the gospel, bringing biblical truths to bear on your unique everyday realities. In these short, easy-to-read chapters, you'll find honest, personal stories and practical lessons that provide encouragement and direction from God's Word as you walk the journey of foster parenting.

Court- Appointed Special Advocates in the Rural South

Court- Appointed Special Advocates in the Rural South
Author: Shanna N. Felix
Publisher:
Total Pages: 67
Release: 2016
Genre: Abused children
ISBN:

Author's abstract: Children in the court system who are abused or neglected are mandated by the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to have special legal representation in the form of a Guardian ad Litem (GAL). A GAL can be a staff attorney or he or she can be a volunteer layperson (known as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA) who has undergone the GAL training. In some states, the CASA volunteer can be a substitute for the GAL, while in other states (like Georgia) the CASA is appointed by the judge as a complement to the staff attorney. To date, there has been very little research evaluating the fidelity of CASA programs where they are implemented, nor has there been much research on the CASA program more generally. Therefore, this study evaluates the fidelity of a rural CASA branch using the Justice Program Fidelity Scale (JPFS; Miller & Miller, 2015) and interview data from 12 CASA volunteers, along with local CASA program statistics and training materials. The CASA program evaluated for the present study scored an 85.64% on the JPFS using combined scores from two researchers. Implications for rural areas, including implications specifically for a judicial circuit with no dedicated specialty judge for cases involving abused or neglected children, are discussed.