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I am proud to be serving as the new Executive Director for CASA of Caroline and am excited about the opportunity to shine a light on the Heart of Caroline, our abused and neglected children in the foster care system. My strategic plan is focused on growing the organization by bringing in additional sponsorships, adding new Board Members, and increasing and diversifying our pool of volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates.
Our Advocates, the Caroline County Court System and Department of Social Services, and community partners work together to do the important work of providing a safe and permanent home to our abused and neglected children as soon as possible, with the goal of reunification.
Pivotal experiences, especially traumatic events, shape one’s childhood. Some indicators of abuse or neglect include a child showing persistent difficulties in relationships, or having difficulty regulating emotions, controlling behavior, or concentrating and learning. Depending upon cultural or socio-economic background, or neighborhood demographics, exposure to traumatic events may vary. According to child psychologist Hilit Kletter, trauma is indicated by any combination of ten Adverse Childhood Experiences including (1) alcoholism or drug abuse, (2) a family member in prison, (3) divorced or separated parents, (4) mental illness or suicide attempts, (5) sexual molestation, assault, or rape, (6) an adult swearing at or degrading them, (7) making them fear or experience physical harm, (8) witnessing their mother being physically abused, (9) a feeling they are not loved or important to their family or their family showing no emotions toward one another, or (10) their parents were unable to care for them properly, so they often had to wear dirty clothes and didn’t have enough to eat (https://www.naadac.org/assets/2416/michael_bricker_acesassessment_ac16_ho.pdf). When a child is removed from his/her home due to abuse or neglect, they experience separation anxiety, feeling isolated and detached. With each new foster placement, irreversible damage to their emotional and psychological health increases.
Giving a child their voice helps them build resilience and feel a sense of safety during a confusing and difficult time. Childhood abuse or neglect itself is traumatic; that trauma is magnified when children, for their safety, are removed from a home with which they are familiar and potentially placed in a foster home with individuals with whom they are unfamiliar. This reality creates a need for a Court Appointed Specialist Advocate.
Advocates are friends of the court and the voices of our vulnerable children, helping them to navigate an overwhelming and terrifying journey toward reunification. In serving as the voice for our abused and neglected children, CASAs advocate for what is in the best interest of each child, ensuring they receive all recommended services.
Working as a CASA, you advocate, support, and stand beside a child, working alongside attorneys, social workers, and foster families. You will be the consistent adult a child can rely on, get to know them and understand their unique needs, advocate for safe, permanent outcomes, and speak up in court so their voice is heard.
We invite you to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a Child in Need of Assistance, changing the trajectory of an abused or neglected child’s life. An average of 10-15 hours per month is all it takes to make a difference. No special degree is required – only heart and commitment. To qualify to be a CASA, you must be 21 years of age or older, have strong communication skills, be able to pass a background check, and willing to complete training.
Now is the time to exercise your compassion, dependability, and objectivity. Step Up. Speak Up. Show Up. A child in Caroline County is waiting.
