A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained community member who is appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court so that the children can be safe, have a permanent family and an opportunity to thrive.

A CASA volunteer does four things: investigate the child’s current circumstances, facilitate communication to ensure that the child’s needs are being met, advocate for the child’s best interests in and outside of court and monitor the activities of all parties to make sure the court’s orders are being followed. At each hearing, the volunteer provides the judge with a carefully researched, written report (and sometimes testimony, depending on local practice) to help the court make sound decisions. The report contains recommendations regarding the child’s safety, permanency and well-being and where the child should be placed.

The CASA volunteer visits the child regularly and talks with parents, foster parents, family members, social workers, school officials, health providers and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history. The CASA volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child: social services case record, school and medical records along with other documents.

The CASA volunteer does not provide legal representation. That is the role of the attorney. However, the CASA volunteer does provide crucial background information to the court.

CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of educational and ethnic backgrounds. There are more than 85,000 CASA volunteers nationally. Many are employed full-time outside CASA.

Volunteers go through 30 hours of interactive, pre-service training, including court observation. Depending on the program, training is offered on various day/evening/weekend hours and times of the year to accommodate different schedules. 12 hours of in-service training is required annually.

CASA of the Parkland recommends that volunteers only carry one case at a time. One case can include various numbers of children per family.

Each case is different. A CASA volunteer usually spends about 10-15 hours doing research and conducting interviews prior to the first court appearance. More complicated cases take longer. Once initiated into the system, volunteers work about 8-10 hours a month.

There are now nearly 1000 CASA programs in 49 states across the country and Washington, D.C.

Research suggests that children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to receive more services, are less likely to re-enter foster care and more likely to find a permanent placement than those who do not have a CASA.

Every CASA volunteer is part of a local CASA program staffed by professionals who recruit, screen, train and supervise volunteers, as well as educate the community about the needs of these children.

CASA of the Parkland is funded through donations, local sponsors, grants, and fundraising events.