On Father’s Day, boys and girls in foster care often face bad memories or no memory of their biological fathers. Removed from their homes due to evidence of abuse or neglect, foster children often lack consistent father figures. Instead they have often seen bad examples of behavior.
This Father’s Day and every day, men and women give their time to the CASA Program as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers who are paired with children to speak for their best interests in court and help them find safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible, said Michelle Wells ED of CASA in the Heart of Texas.
“Our male volunteers are strong, consistent role models,” said Wells. “Many foster children in our program come to view their CASA volunteer as a father or mother figure.”
CASA volunteers learn about the children they represent to make informed recommendations to the court about their needs. They meet with the children at least once a month to find out what the children want and need, said Wells. This relationship gives a child another chance to meet an adult and learn about his or her own potential, SHE said.
“CASA volunteers are one of the only constant adults in the lives of foster children,” said Wells. “Because of this, they are trusted and often consulted by their children about big life decisions including career choices and college applications. Their support is invaluable to these kids.”
Far too many children in foster care have no CASA volunteer to advocate on their behalf, which SHE said is unacceptable. Children paired with CASA volunteers find safe, permanent homes more quickly, which is good for the children and good for taxpayers, Wells said.
“CASA volunteers the opportunity to cut through the red tape involved in court proceedings and foster home settings so children can be placed where they have a better opportunity to succeed,” said Wells. “It’s well worth your time to be the strong guiding hand for a child who needs you.”
A child in a safe home is less likely to become homeless, get involved with crime, or become a teen parent, Wells said. They are more likely to be highly educated and live above the poverty line, SHE said.
“Every foster child should be paired with a volunteer, but right now we don’t have enough adults stepping up,” Wells said. “Like good fathers, CASA volunteers are everyday heroes because they protect people who can’t speak for themselves. They exemplify what it means to be a man,” SHE said.
For more information about getting involved with CASA here in Brownwood, call us at (325) 643-2557 or come by our office at the Family Service Center on the corner of Austin Ave. and Ave. B or visit www.casabrownwood.org .
