April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and it serves as one of our biggest opportunities to educate our friends, families and communities about child abuse and neglect, and how we individually and collectively can help prevent it. Some of the people leading the way in preventing abuse and neglect are Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
CASA volunteers are everyday people just like you and they come from all walks of life, just like the children and families involved in foster care that they help. They gather information from everyone involved in a child’s daily life—including members of the child’s family, foster parents, teachers, lawyers, social workers, and more—and report to a judge to advocate for the child’s best interests. CASA volunteers also work towards reuniting children with their family of origin whenever safe across the 74 local programs in Texas.
No child deserves to experience abuse or neglect, and long-term support networks are needed that work to care for families, make reunification possible when safe and help break the cycle of abuse for the next generation.
The most important thing to understand is that we can prevent child abuse and neglect. Although children in the foster care system are at a higher risk of being exploited, it’s up to all of us to be vigilant and help keep these children safe. By becoming a volunteer, you can take your service beyond awareness, and help directly support children and families in crisis in your community.
The safety and well-being of children should be everyone’s responsibility and concern, but a CASA volunteer is uniquely positioned to monitor the safety of children when placed away from home.
Together, we are moving forward to create safer communities for Texas children and youth. When you sign up to become a CASA volunteer, you can play a vital role in making this a reality. Learn more at BecomeACASA.org.
