The Role of the Court-Appointed Special Advocate
Court-Appointed Special Advocates serve two clients: the Judge and their CASA child. The Judge appoints each volunteer to a specific case for the purpose of gathering information and acting as an objective, independent observer in the case. In addition, the CASA meets with their assigned child each week, acting as a mentor to the child throughout the duration of the court case.
The National CASA Association defines four roles for Court-Appointed Special Advocates:
- Investigation: CASA volunteers carry out an objective, systematic examination of the situation, environment, relationships, and needs of their CASA child.
- Facilitation: CASA volunteers help to create a situation in which their CASA child's needs can be met by identifying and facilitating resources and services for the child, and encouraging a collaborative relationship between all parties on the case.
- Monitoring: CASA volunteers keep track of whether the orders of the court, as well as the plans of the child protective services agency, are carried out and report to the court or collaborate with child protective services when those orders and plans are not followed by any of the parties.
- Advocacy: CASA volunteers speak up for and plead the case of the child for whom they are appointed.
Each of these roles is equally important in ensuring your CASA child doesn't fall through the cracks and that they move through the court system as quickly as possible. Because of the work of the CASA, their CASA child is more than just a name on a piece of paper or a file in a filing cabinet in a Judge or attorney's office. CASA volunteers work to make their child a real person to all those involved.