As we’ve posted previously on our blog, April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. We are so grateful for our amazing children’s counselors, our prevention specialists who do education in the schools, and our caseworkers who work tirelessly for parents and children in our care. We are also incredibly grateful for our community partners who do incredibly important work ensuring the safety and support of at-risk children. One of those partners, CASA DeKalb County, is guest-blogging today, sharing a personal story about the critical work they do:
My name is Anna*. I am 8 years old. When I was 6, I was living in a motel room with one bed in DeKalb with my mom, her boyfriend and my half-brothers. I slept on the floor. It was cold. My mom and her boyfriend used drugs. They argued a lot.
My CASA advocate came to our motel room. She reported our living conditions to the judge.
I live with a foster family now. I have my own room. I have my first bed. I have my own blanket. I am warm at night.
*Name changed for confidentiality
Anna’s story is one of many that are involved in the juvenile abuse and neglect court every week in DeKalb County. In fact, every 13 hours in DeKalb County there is a new case of child abuse or neglect reported. On average, there are about 200 children who, through no fault of their own, are involved in the juvenile court system each year. Anna and these other children in DeKalb County are victims of child abuse or neglect. CASA works with these children as their voice in court, speaking on behalf of their best interests and making recommendations for the children.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) DeKalb County’s mission is to advocate for and serve as the voice for abused and neglected children. CASA is appointed as the guardian ad litem (GAL) in 100% of cases in the DeKalb County juvenile abuse and neglect court. In the role of GAL, CASA volunteer advocates gather information about the child’s situation and provides that information to the judge so he/she can make informed decisions on behalf of the child. The goal for each case is for the child to be placed in a safe, permanent home as soon as possible, preferably back in their own home when that is safe.
CASA plays a unique role in child abuse prevention, which is especially remembered during the month of April, as it is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Through advocacy in the courtroom, CASA helps ensure that a child is placed in a safe, permanent home where there is less chance of any recurrence of abuse or neglect. CASA advocates monitor a child’s case to verify that parents attend the services they need, such as counseling or parenting classes, to correct the conditions that led to the case to come into court. For children like Anna in the story above, CASA advocates draw attention to unsafe or unhealthy conditions in which a child is living so the judge can place the child in a better home environment. CASA also works in the community to draw attention to child abuse and neglect through speaking engagements with local service clubs and the use of social media and online marketing to spread awareness. This April, CASA is posting “Myth vs. Fact” on their Facebook page to help dismantle some of the common myths regarding child abuse or neglect.
While child abuse prevention is something talked about in the community during the month of April, the children CASA serves live these experiences each and every day. These children need to have their voices and their stories heard. Together as a community we can work to continue speaking up for these children, bringing us closer to a time when all children have the opportunity to thrive in a safe and loving home.
To find out more about CASA and their work with abused and neglected children, visit www.casadekalb.org.
