| If you have not already done so, the first step in program planning
involves doing an assessment of the needs of abused and neglected children
in your community and making a decision as to whether a CASA program can
help to meet some of those needs. Educating yourself about the problems of
abuse and neglect and your community's response to those problems will
enable you to become a powerful spokesperson for the CASA concept when you
speak to community leaders and organizations to gain their support. How
well are the child welfare and judicial systems working in your community?
There is no simple answer to that question and arriving at any answer will
involve doing research and talking to a number of people who can be of help
to you now and in the future when you are ready to organize the planning
committee.
The information you need to gather can be gained by seeking answers to
the questions that follow:
- How many reports of abuse and neglect were made to child protective
services last year?
- Of the reports received, how many were substantiated?
- How many new abuse and neglect cases were filed in juvenile court last
year?
- What cultural and ethnic groups are represented in the child welfare
population in your community?
- How does the percentage of minority children in foster care compare to
the percentage of minority population as a whole?
- What is the average length of time children remain in foster care
placement before a permanent plan is achieved?
- How many children were terminated from court involvement last year?
- Of that number, how many were returned home?
- How many were placed with relatives?
- How many were placed for adoption?
- How many children in your county are currently waiting for adoption?
- Is every child involved in an abuse or neglect proceeding appointed a
guardian ad litem? If not, which cases do receive appointment? How many
children were represented by a guardian ad litem last year?
- Who currently provides guardian ad litem services?
- How does the presiding juvenile court judge rate the current system?
- Is the judge satisfied with the information being provided to assist
his/her decision making?
- What was the total cost of the current system of guardian ad litem
services last year?
- Does your state statute or court rules define the role of the guardian
ad litem? If yes, what is it?
- Does your state statute specify who can serve as the guardian ad
litem? If yes, who can serve?
- What is the average number of cases carried by a protective services
social worker?
- What is the average number of foster care placements for each child in
foster care?
Some of the information you need will be a matter of public record and
can be obtained at the library. Much of the data, however, can be obtained
only by interviewing child welfare and court personnel. Making contact with
these individuals can provide other intangible information such as advice on
the local political climate, community mood, and history of children's
services leading to the current system. Some key individuals to interview:
- Presiding judge of the juvenile or family court
- Director of the department of social services and other staff members
- Juvenile court administrator
- Representative from state attorney general's or county prosecutor's
office
- State CASA office or state association president
- Other local CASA programs
- Members of other child advocacy or civic/social organizations who are
interested in child abuse issues (such as child abuse councils, Junior
League, Urban League, National Council of Jewish Women, League of Women
Voters, Kiwanis, etc.)
- Service providers who treat children referred by the court and social
service agencies
- Members of the local bar association
- Business leaders with knowledge of the community and experience in
volunteer programs
Once you have talked to many people and gathered all of your data, you
will need to interpret and summarize how well your community is responding
to abused and neglected children. Some issues to consider are:
- Does the juvenile judge feel that he/she has enough time and
information to make appropriate decisions for children?
- Do child protective services workers carry more than the recommended
20 cases at a time?
- Does every child who is the subject of an abuse or neglect proceeding
have a guardian ad litem appointed?
- If there is a guardian ad litem appointed, does that individual
conduct a thorough investigation, including meeting and interviewing the
child, prior to going to court?
- Does the average foster child in your community experience multiple
foster home placements?
- Does every child in the court's jurisdiction have the opportunity for
a frequent, thorough review of his/her case?
If the answers to these questions or others raise issues that cause
concern for these children, then a CASA program may be one solution. Having
a CASA program will not eliminate abuse and neglect and it will not prevent
the need for foster care for some children. It will, however, help to ensure
that children are placed in foster care only as a last resort, and it will
help to ensure that the court has all necessary information to make the most
appropriate decisions for children. |
