Voices for Children, the Court Appointed Special Advocate or CASA volunteer program, needs community members to serve as advocates for local abused and neglected children. In the past two weeks alone, nearly 20 children have entered foster care in Limestone and Freestone counties and that number is anticipated to rise in the coming weeks. Voices for Children needs local volunteers who are willing to rise up and speak on behalf of foster children.
The role of a CASA volunteer is to learn everything they can about the child or children involved in a child protection case, and then make informed recommendations to the court as to what is best for the child/children regarding their immediate needs, and most importantly, the safest, most permanent home for each child. Without these volunteers, children can easily fall through the cracks of the overburdened child welfare system.
Voices for Children recruits and trains community members to do just that – stand up in court and advocate for abused and neglected children in the foster care system. CASA volunteers participate in approximately 40 hours of pre-service training including 28 hours of training and 13 hours of outside study, undergo criminal and CPS background checks, and are then sworn in as guardian ad litems by a local judge. To meet the increasing need during this time of social distancing, Voices for Children is hosting an online training via Zoom beginning Tuesday, May 26th.
To register for training, visit www.vfcbrazos.org/volunteer and fill out a Volunteer Application. You will then be contacted by a member of Voices for Children staff to schedule an interview. Applications are due no later than May 20th. Currently, Voices for Children is automatically appointed to every child who enters foster care in the counties served and provides a CASA volunteer for every case.
Voices for Children looks forward to serving every child in need of an advocate in each county with volunteer advocates from their home communities.
Voices for Children is a 501c3 non-profit organization located in Bryan, TX. The mission of the organization is to improve the lives of children in foster care through powerful volunteer advocacy, ensuring each child is placed in a safe and permanent home. To learn more about this great organization and their noble cause, go to vfcbrazos.org, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @vfcbrazos or call 979-822-9700.
