The People Behind One Child’s Case: It Takes a Team to Protect a Child

When a child becomes involved in the child welfare system, most people understand that DCS and the court become involved. What the public may not realize is just how many people can become part of one child’s life once a case begins.

Depending on the circumstances, a child may have a judge, DCS family case manager, attorneys, a CASA volunteer or Guardian ad Litem, caregivers, therapists, teachers, medical professionals, visitation supervisors and other service providers.

Each person has a role. And somewhere in the middle of all of those adults is a child.

Everyone Holds a Different Piece

One of the challenges of a child welfare case is that no single person sees everything.

A teacher may notice changes at school. A therapist may recognize a change in behavior. A caregiver sees what happens at home. A visitation supervisor observes interactions between a child and parent. A service provider may see significant progress being made by a family.

Everyone holds a different piece of the child's story.

CASA's role is to gather those pieces and look at the whole picture.

CASA volunteers visit their assigned children, communicate with the people involved in their lives, attend meetings and court hearings, review information and ask questions.

Sometimes the most important information isn't found in one conversation. It is found in the pattern created by many conversations.

Bringing the Information Back to Court

CASA volunteers provide the court with independent reports and recommendations based on the information they have gathered.

That may mean supporting reunification with a parent, advocating for additional services, raising concerns about a child's education or well-being, recognizing a family's progress, or asking for more information before an important decision is made.

Most importantly, it means helping ensure that something important about a child does not get lost among everything happening in the case.

There Is a Child at the Center

Child welfare cases can be complicated. There can be disagreements and setbacks, but there can also be tremendous progress.

At CASA of Jefferson County, we believe collaboration among the people serving children and families matters. We also believe children need someone whose responsibility remains centered on them.

Behind every court report, meeting, hearing and recommendation is a child who is still going to school, making friends, celebrating birthdays and growing up while adults make important decisions about their future.

A case may have many professionals.

A courtroom may have many voices.

But there is only one childhood at the center of it all.

That is why CASA is there.