As a court appointed special advocate, volunteers receive training to advocate in court and in the community for the needs and rights of children in foster care. Volunteers come from all walks of life and professions and have one thing in common: they care about children.
“Volunteers get to know the child they represent by talking with everyone in that child’s life: parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers and others,” said Cindi Van Brunt, executive director of the CASA for Children of Monmouth County program.
“The volunteers use the information they gather to inform judges and others of what the child needs and what will be the best permanent home for them,” Van Brunt said.
Volunteers complete a 30-hour pre-service training. Once they are assigned to a case, they can expect to spend an average of about 15 hours a month getting to know the child, gathering information, exploring resources to meet the child’s needs, representing the child in court and writing reports. Volunteers receive ongoing education and support from their local program, according to a press release.
“It’s one of the most personally rewarding experiences I have ever had,” said a local CASA volunteer. “For many of the kids I have worked with, I have been the only stable, supportive adult in their lives. My sole responsibility is to protect their rights and to find them a safe and nurturing forever home. I know I’m not just helping these children, but their kids and their grandkids and generations of kids to follow.”
To learn more about how to make a difference in the life of an abused or neglected child in the community, call 732-460-9100 or email lynn@casaforchildrenmc.org. For more information, visit www.casaofmonmouth.org
“Becoming an advocate for foster children will be the best resolution you can make for this year or any year,” Van Brunt said.
