Life is a wonder every day. Cherish the lessons of the past and use them as a springboard for a bold future. Reach for the stars and get ready to learn even more!
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) combine academia, peer collaboration and life experiences to be the trusted advocates for youth and a voice of integrity for the Juvenile Court Judge. We appreciate all those who thirst for knowledge and are inspired to shine a light on a brighter and more informed future for dependent youth.
In The Spotlight – Information Sessions
The New Year brings new hope and opportunities. If you think this year might be the time to learn more about becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate, we are excited to have you attend an Information Session.
Every month Voices For CASA Children hosts Information Sessions both virtually and in person. Attending one of the 40-minute sessions is a great way to learn more about the duties of a CASA volunteer. A VOICES staff member, who is also a CASA volunteer, will outline responsibilities, the application process, one-time and on-going training requirements and the general time commitments.
Most importantly you will gain deeper insight regarding the real-time and life-long impact you can have on the life of a child living in foster care.
There are over 9,000 youth within the AZ Department of Child Safety. Our dream is that every child has the opportunity to have a CASA volunteer by their side.
You can help us make that happen! If the time is not right for you, it may be for your friend, neighbor, co-worker or other members of your family. Please spread the word!
It is easy to sign up for an information session.
My CASA Journey – Advocating for Older Youth
Advocating for Older Youth: When a CASA is appointed to an older teen, the advocacy timeline intensifies knowing a youth is headed to adulthood. After experiencing trauma, and often multiple placements, they are now at risk of leaving foster care without a permanent home.
There is much to do and less time to do it. All teens need practical experience and basic life skills – from the simple things (laundry) to bank accounts and understanding options for college or employment. A teen that has been living in foster care has additional and unique challenges. For example, no transportation to a job, solo bank account as a minor, catching up in high school, etc.
Understanding these challenges, a variety of tools and resources have been created by community partners that are dedicated to focusing on improving the outcomes for these teens.
As a start, CASA volunteers can use a Transition Toolkit providing practical tips for the youth developed by Foster Club of America. This toolkit provides a tactical method to identify the life skills most important for their situation and help the youth gain more control over their own future. The path to adulthood means helping teens navigate the many processes as they apply for college, a job or try to find a future place to live.
As CASAs identify the priorities, they reach out to organizations such as AFFCF who offer funding to assist with the bumps that can derail a successful college stay. Programs at EVIT and the Paul Revere Academy offer combined high school and vocational training with dormitory to address the lack of housing for youth in or leaving foster care. Sometimes it is awareness of a need that spurs action such as the recent decision by Arizona’s universities to keep dormitories open for youth who have nowhere to go during school breaks.
Most importantly, it is the support team that needs to surround a teen exiting foster care – and the CASA volunteer is integral in that team to connect them with a community ready to help so youth have a hopeful and successful future.
Expand the Hope! Employer Charitable Giving Programs
To reach more youth who will need a CASA volunteer in the future, it is imperative that we grow our network of supporters. There are many generous and socially-minded businesses in Arizona who actively encourage employees to be involved in the betterment of their communities, either through volunteerism or financial support. Help them learn about child advocacy!
Sign Up! – Check with your Human Resources department to see if your employer supports charitable giving through payroll deduction.
Does your company have a charitable giving directory? – This is typically a listing that employees can review when choosing a philanthropic organization for payroll deductions or one-time giving request. If so, let’s get VOICES added to the list.
Increase your impact! – Your employer may also offer a charitable giving match program. If so, follow your corporate guidelines so they are aware of your donation. Some companies not only match, to a specific threshold, payroll deductions but also one-time donations that have been made directly to a charitable organization.
VOICES benefits from the generosity of donors and business leaders through this charitable giving strategy. Thank you for helping us spread the word! If you have any questions or your employer needs information directly from VOICES, contact info@voicesforcasachildren.org.
Community & Youth Connections. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), eligible children with disabilities in Arizona (and nationally) are provided free appropriate public education (FAPE), including special education and related services. Parents typically play a critical role in the special education process, however, if a parent is not available, given the framework and provisions of IDEA, eligible children in Arizona (including those in foster care) can be appointed a “surrogate parent” through the Arizona Department of Education.
The surrogate parent is a trained volunteer who represents and advocates for the educational needs and rights of the child, including engaging with school personnel, actively participating as a parent in special education related meetings, consenting to evaluations and provision of services (including Individualized Education Plans (IEP), reviewing child’s educational records, and fulfilling other key supporting functions on behalf of the child.
Currently, there are approximately 500 children who have a Surrogate Parent appointed, including youth in foster care. If you are interested in learning more about this program, or in volunteering as a Surrogate Parent, please check out the Arizona Department of Education Surrogate Parent Program.
In Focus – Education Guidelines for Arizona Youth Living in Foster Care
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) contains key provisions to promote educational stability and success for students living in foster care. The Arizona Department of Education website is a comprehensive resource to learn more about the laws and guidelines that apply to educators and others supporting students.
https://www.azed.gov/fostercare
One of the responsibilities of a CASA volunteer is to help ensure the best decisions are made for youth regarding traditional and specialized education. Given the turmoil youth may feel due to removal from their home, ensuring a stable and appropriate educational environment can be crucial.
January – Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Dedicated to raising awareness, increasing prevention efforts and providing more support to survivors. Youth living in foster care and group homes are particularly vulnerable. These children lack stability, proper oversight and may be tempted by a false sense of security offered by the predator. Many underage trafficked youth also have a history of sexual abuse.
A CASA volunteer may be the only adult who knows the teen well enough to even recognize changed behaviors as warning signs.
To understand more about the risk factors and warning signs: Teen Sex Trafficking Awareness Training Brochure
If you suspect human trafficking contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
Strengthening Advocacy Through Education
Many people have heard of the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn phenomenon. This survival instinct was developed over time to protect ourselves and ensure the continuation of the human species. But what happens when this instinct becomes maladaptive? Children who have experienced traumatic events often become stuck in this survival mode. Their reaction may take the form of angry outbursts, detachment, running away, or other dangerous behaviors. A primal reaction that may have once kept them safe now inhibits their ability to learn and form healthy attachments with others.
In the VOICES education program, CASA volunteers learn how to approach a child who is trapped in their survival mode. Telling a child that they are safe is not enough. They must be made to feel safe in their body and brains. CASA volunteers learn how to use their tone of voice, spatial positioning, and body language to invoke a feeling of safety in a traumatized child. With repetition and continuous positive regard, CASA’s can help a child’s brain move from fear to connection. Meeting this basic need of safety allows a child to learn more adaptive skills and ultimately form healthy relationships with the safe people in their lives.
To learn more about the threat response, check out this short video by Dr. Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
(This was the Voices of Hope Newsletter, January 2024. Subscribe to receive more.)
The 2023 VOICES holiday gift drive was an incredible success! Over the years our holiday drives have enabled CASA volunteers to provide toys and gifts to thousands of babies, youth and teens. Thanks to feedback from CASA volunteers, who truly see these children, we are able tailor our wish list to include items that honor special traditions or help create new memories.
November is National Adoption Month. It is an opportunity to shine a light on the adoption journey and the many loving families that have come together as a result.
Why it matters: Supporting youth and child advocates requires community support
CASA volunteers provide a voice during sometimes scary and complex moments in a foster child’s life experience. Creating a new connection with a child or teen isn’t always easy. Experiences such as going for ice cream, flying a kite, or choosing a movie help a CASA volunteer and youth talk, share, and connect.
Why it matters: CASA volunteers must remain politically neutral when executing their CASA duties. They are appointed by Juvenile Court Judges and bound by Judicial protocols. However, they need to be aware and understand how changes in judicial policy and/or legislative actions may impact their day-to-day advocacy and how they engage with others involved in a child’s dependency.
Many schools are out for Fall break and families in the valley are adjusting their schedules as the holidays are just around the corner. For youth in foster care, this time of the year can be especially challenging. As Bruce Perry stated, “The capacity to successfully transition from one place to another, one activity to another, one internal state to another is fundamentally related to the capacity to self-regulate.
The 10-year-old walked in and headed straight to the Mario Bros. backpack and exclaimed, “This is the one!” The teen girl hugged a princess pink backpack and smiled. We cheered her on saying, “You do YOU! Select any one you want.” During Build-Your-Own Backpack Day, CASA volunteers and their kiddos stuffed their favorite backpack with needed school supplies. A total of 107 filled backpacks were either picked up or shipped to CASAs for their youth.
