Article The National CASA
Association Standards for Local CASA/GAL Programs
establishes the role of the CASA/GAL volunteer as it relates to
court advocacy for abused and neglected children. Standard 7E
sets forth the volunteer’s responsibilities, and local programs
may expand upon these requirements.
Responsibilities of the CASA/GAL volunteer include but are not
limited to the following:
- Obtain first hand a clear understanding of the needs and
situation of the child by reviewing all relevant documents and
records and interviewing the child, parents, social workers,
teachers and other persons to determine the facts and
circumstances of the child’s situation.
- Identify and advocate for the best interest of the child.
- Seek cooperative solutions by acting as a facilitator
among parties.
- Provide at every hearing reports which include findings
and recommendations.
- Appear at all hearings to advocate for the child’s best
interests and provide testimony when necessary.
- Have regular and sufficient in-person contact with the
child to ensure in-depth knowledge of the case and make
fact-based recommendations to the court. The CASA/GAL
volunteer shall meet in person with the child once every
thirty (30) days at a minimum.
- Make recommendations for specific appropriate services for
the child and, when appropriate, the child’s family.
- Determine if a permanent plan has been created for the
child.
- Monitor implementation of service plans and court orders
assuring that court-ordered services are implemented in a
timely manner and that review hearings are held in accordance
with the law.
- Inform the court promptly of important developments in the
case through appropriate means as determined by court rules or
statute.
- Advocate for the child’s best interests in the community
by interfacing with mental health, educational and other
community systems to ensure that the child’s needs in these
areas are met.
For a complete description of the role of a CASA or GAL
volunteer, see
Standard 7E in the “Judges’ Corner” section of The
Judges’ Page.
CASA/GAL programs across the nation have instituted new
practices that are helping ensure outstanding advocacy in
achieving timely permanency for children, two of which are
described below.
In the past year, the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL)
Program conducted statewide trainings on legal permanency. An
in-service seminar, Legal Permanency, was developed by
Ruth Kravitz, GAL training administrator, in consultation with
Deana Fleming, GAL associate counsel. This 3-1/2 hour seminar
was offered at 23 sites, and 712 GAL staff and volunteers
attended from the various judicial districts of North
Carolina. The purpose of the in-service training is to teach
GAL volunteers the differences among the four types of
permanency in North Carolina: reunification, custody,
guardianship and adoption. Participants learn about the
judicial process for granting each type of permanency, the
ease of modification, and the financial implications of each
type of permanency. In an interactive manner, the in-service
training teaches GAL volunteers about their responsibility in
advocating for a permanent plan for each child client in a
reasonable amount of time.
Since 1996 the ProKids CASA program serving Hamilton County in
Cincinnati, OH has placed significant emphasis on permanency
in their outcome measures. Of ten measures focused primarily
on safety and stability, the following four specifically
address permanency and directly relate to the status of the
case plan. The first outcome is ProKids driving force toward
permanency.
- Outcome: Children will live in a permanent, safe
family home at the time of court termination.
- Definition: Permanent placement is achieved when
children return home, are placed in an adoptive home or when
relatives or family friends are given legal custody.
- Outcome: Children under court jurisdiction will
spend the least amount of time possible without a permanent
plan.
- Definition: Amount of time under court jurisdiction
without a permanent plan is defined as time from CASA
assignment throughout temporary custody. Children in status
of permanent planned-living arrangement or permanent custody
are considered in a permanent planned status.
- Outcome: Children will spend the least amount of
time possible in the status of permanent planned-living
arrangement without a permanent placement.
- Definition: Permanent placement is return to parents,
legal custody to a relative or family friend or successful
completion of an independent living program.
- Outcome: Children will spend the least amount of
time in the status of permanent custody without a permanent
placement.
- Definition: Permanent placement is defined as a safe,
permanent and nurturing home.
Each year ProKids sets goals around these outcomes and
measures their results. Their focus on permanency planning
in goal setting has been instrumental in helping CASA
volunteers remain focused on the ultimate goal of a safe,
permanent home for every child served. In 2007, ProKids
outcomes report to their local United Way received the
highest rating possible. Less than three percent of agencies
fell into this category.
CASA/GAL volunteers are in a unique position to inform the
court of the immediacy of a child’s need to achieve timely
permanency. Volunteers spend considerable time in direct
contact with the child; generally have case loads of one or
two cases; and take the time necessary to investigate all
permanency options and their impacts.
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