Getting placed into foster care is often an overwhelming experience, and with the state of Louisiana facing a shortage of case workers, a child’s needs can easily fall through the cracks. That’s where CASA Jefferson comes in.
The nonprofit recruits and trains volunteers to serve as advocates for children in Jefferson Parish’s foster care system. Those volunteers, known as court-appointed special advocates, serve as an “extra set of eyes and ears” for juvenile court judges as they make decisions on children’s futures, said Wendy Magee, CASA Jefferson’s executive director. With a recent uptick in foster care placements, however, the nonprofit is facing a shortage of volunteers. We spoke with Magee to learn more about what it’s like to be a CASA Jefferson volunteer.
What does a court-appointed special advocate do?
As an advocate, you make sure the child you’re paired with is getting the services they need. You help schedule their appointments, visit them at their foster home, make sure they’re keeping their grades up in school, and every three to six months, you go to court to make recommendations on their future to a judge. We want every kid to have an advocate, because we know the quicker they get an advocate, the less time they’ll spend in foster care.
Tell us about the current need for volunteers?
There are over 50 kids in the foster care system in Jefferson Parish in need of a court-appointed special advocate. And the need is growing. In 2022, we had 99 cases assigned to us from juvenile court. In 2023, that rose to 130. With very few advocates coming through the door, we’re not meeting the need.
Tell us more about the role that advocates play in court?
Before going to court, our advocates write up a report on their child for the judge. At the end of the hearing, the judge will ask our advocates if they have any recommendations. The judges listen to them because they know they've dedicated their time solely to this child, while case workers at the Department of Children and Family Services are sometimes splitting their time between dozens of cases.
That’s truly being a voice for that child. They are literally the eyes and ears of the court. Because the judges, outside of court, they don’t see the child.
How else do the volunteers support the children they’re paired with?
If their child gets on the basketball or the football team, you can go to their games, and go support them, because if they see you, they’ll say, "Oh my god, my advocate is here." Most of the kids you find never had a birthday party, never had a birthday cake, and you’ll probably be the first one to give them a birthday cake. Just having their eyes light up that somebody cares about them means the world to them.
What’s the time commitment?
Once you’re paired with a child, we ask for no more than 10 hours of volunteering a month. We ask that volunteers stay committed throughout the duration of the case. We want that to be a one consistent person through their life in foster care. Anyone who volunteers is gold. If we don’t have volunteers, we don’t have a program.
For more information on becoming an advocate or supporting the organization, visit www.casajefferson.org or call (504) 533-8757. CASA organizations serve multiple communities in Louisiana. To learn more, go to www.louisianacasa.org.