Child Advocates is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to improving the lives of abused and neglected children in a four county area around Wichita Falls, Texas. Child Advocates recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers who are appointed to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Child Advocates is part of a nationwide organization of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) with 937 programs and 52,000 volunteers.
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Child Advocates is routinely appointed to serve as the CASA in all cases in which a child is removed from their home because of abuse and/or neglect.
No public agency is mandated by law to provide impartial representation for children who are removed from their homes as a result of abuse or neglect. Child Protective Services is required to safeguard children, but is often limited by financial constraints, overworked personnel, or the lack of foster placements, and ultimately a child's best interests may not be protected. Attorneys appointed to represent the child are ethically bound to represent what the child wants (if four years or older), as opposed to what is in the child's best interest. The gap is filled by a CASA who makes educated recomendations for a final placement that is in the child's best interests.
Children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Our goal is to provide a CASA to every child who needs one.
Cases originate in Archer, Clay, Montague, and Wichita counties, but the children may be placed outside of these counties.
Anywhere close to Archer, Clay, Montague, or Wichita Counties. For instance, residents of Oklahoma that work in the four county service area would be eligible.
The role of the CASA is to:
- Provide the judge with a carefully researched background of the child;
- Evaluate the information gathered from various sources and make recommendations about the child's future;
- Speak up for the child's best interests in court and in the Child Protective Services system;
- Continue to act as a “watchdog” for the child during the life of the case, ensuring that the child’s needs are met and the case is resolved swiftly and appropriately.
CASA volunteers help safeguard the best interests of children who are in state custody because of abuse or neglect by:
- Interviewing the child, parents, family members, school officials, health providers and others who know the child’s history;
- Reviewing all records concerning the case, including school, medical, psychological, and caseworker reports;
- Making written reports to the court, testifying at hearings, and attending planning meetings outside of court with the other professionals involved.
The CASA does not provide legal representation in the courtroom; that is the role of the attorney. A CASA, however, speaks specifically to what is in the best interest of the child, as opposed to what a child may want. CASAs provide crucial background information that assists attorneys in presenting their cases.
