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CASA of Middlesex County is actively seeking individuals who may be interested in becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a child in foster care. Successful applicants, professionally trained and supervised by CASA staff are appointed by a Family Court Judge to carry out case investigations and make recommendations about permanency for the foster child assigned to them.

CASA volunteer defined
The CASA program was created in 1977 in order to assist the court and child welfare systems in ensuring the safety, well-being, and permanency of children removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. A CASA is a trained community volunteer who is appointed by a family court judge to provide timely, objective information about the child and to advocate for the best interests of that child. CASA volunteers are assigned to out-of-home placement cases where an abused and neglected child has been removed for protection from the care of his or her parents.

Volunteer details
CASA volunteers are ordinary citizens of the age of 21 and older. No special or legal background is required. Volunteers are screened closely for objectivity, competence and commitment. They also undergo reference checks, interviews, and federal and state criminal background checks.

Training
CASA volunteers undergo a thorough training course conducted by our local CASA program. Training requirements include 30 hours of pre-service training, and then 12 hours of in-service training per year. Volunteers learn about courtroom procedure from the principals in the system- the judges, lawyers, social workers, court personnel, and others. CASA volunteers also learn effective advocacy techniques for children, and are educated about specific topics ranging from seminars on child sexual abuse to discussions on early childhood development and adolescent behavior.

Roles
As a child advocate, the CASA volunteer has three main responsibilities:

1) To serve as a fact-finder for the judge by thoroughly researching the background of each assigned case;
2) To speak for the child in the courtroom, advocating for the child's best interests;
3) To continue to safeguard the interests of the child during the life of the case, ensuring that it is brought to a swift and appropriate conclusion and that the child receives fundamental services to thrive.

CASA based on child's rights
The CASA concept is based on the commitment that every child has the right to a safe, permanent home. In court jurisdictions that have adopted the program, the family court judge designates a specially trained pool of CASA volunteers each time a case involving a child is received.

The judge appoints a volunteer to the child's case. The volunteer then becomes an official part of the judicial proceedings, working alongside attorneys and social workers as an appointed officer of the court. Unlike attorneys and social workers, however, the CASA volunteers speaks exclusively for the child's best interests.

By handling only one or two cases at a time (compared to a Division of Youth and Family Services caseworker's average load of 20-50), the CASA volunteer has the time to explore thoroughly the history of each assigned case. The volunteer talks with the child, parents and family members, neighbors, school officials, doctors and others involved in the child's background who might have facts about the case. The volunteer then reviews all records and documents pertaining to the child. He or she then submits a formal reprot to the court, recommending placement: should the child stay with ihs or her parents, be placed in foster care, or be freed for permanent adoption?

If the court leaves the child in temporary care, the CASA volunteer provides continuity by staying on the case until it is permanently resolved.