What is Court Appointed Special Advocates of Washington County?

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Washington County serves as the model program and affiliate member of National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association and Maryland Court Appointed Special Advocates Association, which serves Washington County, Maryland. Local, state and national Court Appointed Special Advocates are responsible for recruitment, screening, training and supervision of volunteers to serve as advocates for children of cases of child abuse or neglect.

Court Appointed Special Advocates is known as CASA in many other communities. In Washington County, another non-profit, human service agency began program operations and utilizing the acronym of CASA, before the development of the Court Appointed Special Advocate of Washington County program. Therefore, although part of a national organizational network recognized as CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Washington County will be recognized in its' long form rather than acronym for local, agency/program reference and clarity.

What is a Court Appointed Special Advocate Volunteer?

A Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to present the best interest of a child in court.

What is the role of a Court Appointed Special Advocate?

An Advocate provides a judge with carefully researched background of the child to help the court make a sound decision about that child's future. Each case is as unique as the child involved. The Advocate must determine if it is in the child's best interest to stay with his or her parents or guardians, be place in foster care or other out-of-home placement, or be freed for adoption. The Advocate researches, assesses and makes recommendations to the juvenile courts, and follows through on the case until it is permanently resolved.

How does an Advocate research a case?

To prepare a recommendation, the Advocate talks with the child, parents, family members, social/case workers, foster care providers, therapist/mental health professionals, school officials and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history. The Advocate also reviews records pertaining to the child - social/case worker, school, medical and other pertinent documents.

How does an Advocate differ from a Social Worker?

In Maryland, social/case workers are generally employed by the county government's Department of Social Services (DSS). Social workers are responsible for as many as 25 or more cases at a time, which limits the time they can spend with each child. Advocates work with only one child or 2-3 siblings at a time and, therefore, have more time to research each child's individual needs. The Advocate does not replace a social/case worker on a case. The Advocate is an independent, objective appointee of the court assigned to provide thorough research of the child's case, explore community resources, and make a recommendation to the court independent of agency restrictions.

How does the role of an Advocate differ from an Attorney?

Each child that is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in cases of child abuse and neglect are appointed an attorney for legal representation. An attorney in Washington County may be representing over a hundred children. The Advocate does not provide legal representation in the courtroom. However, the Advocate does provide crucial background information that assists attorneys in presenting their cases. It is important to remember that Advocates do not represent child's wishes in court, like that of an attorney for the child. Rather, Advocates make recommendations considered to be in the child's best interest.

Is there a "typical" volunteer Advocate?

Advocates come from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, education and ethnic backgrounds. There are over 50,000 volunteer Advocates nationally. Aside from the work as a volunteer Advocate, 52% are employed in regular full-time jobs, from all professions. 82% of volunteer Advocates are women; 18% are men. Persons are not required to have prior social work, paralegal or legal education, training or experiences to serve as an Advocate.

How does the Advocate relate to the child he or she is appointed?

Advocates offer children opportunities to talk discreetly, and someone to trust during complex legal proceedings. They explain to the child the events that are happening, the roles of the judge, attorneys, and social/case worker, and the outcomes. Advocates create a bond with the respective child to develop and encourage open, honest dialogue, and trust in the responsibility that the Advocate has the best interest of the child's welfare in consideration.

How many cases on average does an Advocate work with at a time?

Most Advocates serve only one to two children at a time.

How are Advocates screened?

Prospective volunteers undergo a rigorous screening process that involves personal interviews, reference checks, state and federal criminal background checks, child abuse registry checks and assurances to commitments to quality and quantity of service, confidentiality, and program standards. Only volunteers who have the time, interest and commitment to serve as Advocates are selected.

How much training do volunteer Advocates receive?

Volunteers receive 30 hours of training, which includes discussion, video learning, outside reading, courtroom observation, case file review and development of a case action plan. Training is scheduled into eight (8), three (3) hour sessions, with the balance dedicated to court observation, review of prospective case file and action plan development of the appointed case. In addition, Advocates must complete twelve (12) hours of in-service training each year that are facilitated by child, family and community welfare professionals.

How are Advocates supervised?

Advocates have regularly scheduled case review conferences with the Program Director, as well as frequent telephone consultation, and on-call consultation as needed. Group meetings will be conducted in conjunction with monthly in-service training programs to provide peer support and case review.

How much time does it require?

Each case is different. An Advocate usually spends about 10 hours per month doing research and conducting interviews. This time will include travel, documentation of case notes, preparation of court reports and in-service training.

How long does an Advocate remain involved with a case?

The Advocate continues until the case is permanently resolved. One of the primary benefits of the Court Appointed Special Advocates program is that, unlike other court principals who often rotate cases, the Advocate is a consistent figure in the proceedings, and provides continuity for a child during a very unsettled time in that child's life.

What children are assigned to Advocates?

Advocates are assigned to children who are victims of abuse and neglect and are the subject of dependency proceedings in Maryland's juvenile and family courts.