Listen to thisChild advocacy is noble work
When a child is at risk and the court system becomes involved, you might wonder who is going to truly represent that child’s best interest.
Enter CASA of Northeast Louisiana.
CASA stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocates, who are named by a judge to help ensure abused or neglected children find a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible. The role of a CASA advocate is to act as an extra pair of eyes and ears for the court system, collecting information through observation and interviews with key people in the child’s life before reporting back to the judge.
Advocates speak on behalf of the children in court. Advocates meet with the child, family members, teachers, foster parents and others involved in a foster child’s life. They gather facts for the court and present information before a judge in the best interest of the child.
Since its inception, CASA has advocated for approximately 1,900 children and has trained nearly 800 community volunteers. But volunteers come and go, and CASA now needs to train at least 75 more volunteer advocates to meet the needs of more than 100 children in foster care in northeastern Louisiana.
CASA currently has 125 volunteers serving 275 children.
“Advocates meet with the child, form a rapport with the child and ask what he or she wants and figure out what is best for the child. We value being the voice of the child in court and speaking up for the things that nobody maybe would listen to them say. Adults speaking on a child’s behalf can put their perspective in front of the judge and everyone in the courtroom,” Adam McDonald of CASA said.
CASA advocates commit an average of five hours a month to their child, visiting them once a month and maintaining consistent contact with them and the people in their lives.
This important volunteer effort is an extremely personal and effective way to make a difference in the life of a child.
Today, almost 2,000 children have benefited from the efforts of this organization. If you’ve got the time and the inclination to help, CASA would love to have you.
Check out their website at www.casaofnela.org
Editorial Board, The News-Star
6 February 2014
http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20140207/OPINION01/302070021/Our-View-Child-advocacy-noble-work
