CASA stands for
Court
Appointed
Special
Advocate.
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Being
a CASA volunteer does not require any special education or background. Adults age 21 or over with a desire to help abused and neglected children find safe,
permanent homes are encouraged to apply.
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Duties of the CASA volunteer complement but do not duplicate the duties
of other responsible persons involved in abuse or neglect cases, such as
social workers and attorneys. With the support and supervision provided
by staff, the CASA volunteer gathers and assesses information, develops
recommendations, and submits written and verbal reports which are
considered by the court to aid in its decisions about the best course of
action for the child.
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There are a number of factors a prospective volunteer should consider when deciding if this is the right volunteer opportunity: time available to devote to a case; the ability to maintain objectivity; and ability to communicate with a wide variety of people.
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The first CASA program began in Seattle, Washington in 1977, when Judge David W. Soukup, then the Presiding Judge of King County Superior Court in Seattle, began using trained community volunteers to make sure abused and neglected children had an informed advocate in court. Alaska CASA began in 1987 as a program of the state Office of Public Advocacy.
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The children served by CASA volunteers range from infants through youth up to 21 years of age from a wide range of cultural backgrounds (Tribal CASA programs represent children whose cases are heard in their Tribal Courts).
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When someone is concerned about the welfare of a child, s/he calls the Office of Children's Services (OCS). OCS workers investigate the report, and make a decision about the safety of the child.
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All prospective CASA volunteers must complete a thorough screening process before being assigned to work with a child. The screening process is designed to determine whether this unique volunteer opportunity is a good match for the applicant.
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