CASA

Being a CASA volunteer is something I have wanted to do since I lived in Virginia. It got put off and forgotten about but I have a neighbor that is a teacher in a bad area and she kept nudging me to do it. Finally a class opened up. I had to do 30 hours of training. It was the first class I have had in a long time and I had so much information I thought my head was going to explode. Literally! I had a migraine both days of class!

Being a CASA means I am a court appointed special advocate for children. Children are taken from their parents and placed in foster homes due to severe abuse and/or neglect. Lots of people are involved in the case- Child Protective Services, lawyers, foster parents etc. But nobody is there just to look out for the best interest of the child- everyone else has their own agendas. That's where I come in. A judge appoints me to a case and I see it through to the end- which is usually a year (that is about how long it usually takes to get your kid back if they are taken away!) Well, I finished my training, then went to the court and was sworn in by Judge Neill. We then went on vacation and when I came back I went back to CASA and joined the case workers for a couple on court observations so I can get a better idea of what goes on in court. I LOVE courthouse drama! And now, as of Thursday- I have my very own case. I am so excited! Thankfully it doesn't seem to be and awful case- at least it doesn't appear that way right now. Things are never as easy as they seem though.

Being sworn in- I was here really! Jim just didn't have a good view.