Every November marks National Adoption Month, a time to raise awareness for children in the foster care system seeking permanent homes. For many of these children, navigating the foster system feels isolating and confusing.
Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates, a statewide nonprofit, trains volunteers to advocate for these children. With 74 programs throughout Texas in around 220 of the 254 counties, CASA helps children achieve stability through courtroom and policy work. Vanesa Figueroa, social work senior and Texas CASA volunteer, said having someone to advocate for foster children in court makes all the difference.
“There was a point in my life where there were custodial rights going on, and I felt really small,” Figueroa said. “I felt that no one was listening to me because a lot of adults have the mentality of, ‘You’re just a kid,’ but if people were to step back and listen to these kids themselves, (they will realize) these kids are smarter, absorb everything and can determine what’s best for them.”
Volunteers gather information about the child’s family and social circle, listen to the youth’s concerns, attend court hearings and make recommendations to judges, serving the child’s best interests. Usually, court outcomes include reunification with parents or adoption by both relatives or non-relatives.
“Being a CASA volunteer, I’ve been able to get to know the parents and realize that they’re also people at the end of the day, and they’re working towards the goal of being who they need to be for their child,” Figueroa said. “The most rewarding part is the parents coming to that conclusion themselves, (that) maybe their best is good for (their children).”
Texas CASA also works to create policies that improve the outcomes of children in foster care statewide. Sarah Crockett, Public Policy director at Texas CASA, said CASA recently helped pass legislation requiring kids in foster care have normalcy, allowing them to have the same experiences as kids who are not in foster care, including going to prom, playing football or staying overnight at a friend’s house.
Catherine Herlich, collaborative family engagement director at Texas CASA, equips volunteers with resources to find and engage family, including a journal they launched a year ago.
“We have some pages in that journal asking about who loves and cares about them, so it’s a quiet reflection that they can do on their own time and share back with their CASA volunteers,” Herlich said.
Herlich said volunteers can use the journal to explore each child’s connections in order to advocate for those connections in court, possibly leading to a placement.
“Family engagement is everything in child welfare,” Herlich said. “Having even one connection is going to decrease the likelihood that that child ages out of foster care, or that child becomes homeless in the future, or that child is trafficked.”
Figueroa said for those considering volunteering or supporting Texas CASA, they must care about advocacy. To be a Court Appointed Special Advocate, one must be at least 21 years old. But for those under 21, Crockett suggests programs like Spark and Horns Helping Horns on campus.
“These are very vulnerable populations you’re working with,” Figueroa said. “But if this is something that you love and strive for, I think it’s such a great opportunity.”
