My journey into the child welfare system began a year ago when I decided to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Clark County.  After reading article after article in the local newspaper about the deplorable state of the child welfare system in Clark County, I felt a strong desire to help.  Knowing that I am not cut out to be a foster parent, I considered other options.  I was familiar with the court appointed special advocate program (CASA) in my home state of Nebraska, so I checked out the Clark County program.  With a little research, I learned the Clark County program is a government program, rather than a non-profit organization as is common in other states.  Further, I learned the local program has a champion in Judge Gerald Hardcastle who firmly believes children in the protective custody of the county benefit from having a volunteer assigned who monitors their situation and provides feedback directly to the judge via a court report and verbal comments.                     

           

I signed up to meet with the CASA training coordinator to learn more about the program and ultimately attended the 40 hour training program which provides background information on the Clark County child welfare system and a mini course on abused and neglected children.

 

Upon graduating from the training program, I received a court order assigning me as a CASA to a sibling group.  Many of my classmates were given the tough assignment of advocating for teenagers.  After listening to CASAs discuss issues related to older children in the foster care system, I have a great deal of respect for the men and women who take on this challenge.  I recall the difficulties related to my daughters’ emotional tantrums in their teenage years and the teenagers in the foster care system often have much greater issues to deal with than the typical friend betrayal or clothes crisis of my daughters.  The teens in foster care often carry baggage related to abuse/neglect and multiple placements.  Many have a general sense that no one cares about them.

 

In my case, I was handed a case involving three brothers ages 3 y/o, 2 y/o and 6 months, which has recently grown to a sibling group of four.  I first met the two older boys in Child Haven, where they were ultimately housed for six months.  My visits with the boys there afforded me the opportunity to view the problems of that facility first hand.  Eventually, the two older boys were reunited with their little brother in a caring foster home.  I currently find myself embroiled in issues related to termination of parental rights, grandparent rights and sibling rights as permanency decisions are contemplated.

 

As a CASA, I am to advocate for the “best interests” of the child.  Each case is different and the “best interests” of the child varies, but in my very limited experience, the real importance of having a CASA assigned to a foster child relates to consistency.  I have been involved in my CASA childrens’ lives for just over a year, and in that short time, their case has been assigned to four different case workers.  The foster mom and I are now the only people on the case who personally witnessed the transformation which took place in the older boys once they were transferred out of Child Haven and into a private home.  As a result, I am strongly committed to this sibling group and I will do what I can to ensure they are allowed to grow up together.