Your social media timeline is likely filled with all sorts of images of kids playing with siblings at home, undertaking e-learning, picking up practical skills they can use throughout their lives by helping out around the house, and in the yard. There’s also the underbelly of this whole situation you rarely see until it’s too late.
Child abuse and neglect is likely on the rise in the face of this pandemic, as families are put under more financial and emotional stress. Children are no longer in the public eye—they are not at schools or daycare, or in other locations where caring individuals would be able to spot signs of abuse. One group of volunteers in Berrien County is working hard to ensure that abuse and neglect do not go unnoticed.
It is a sad fact of life that nearly 700,000 children experience abuse or neglect each year. Instead of playing with neighbors and making happy family memories, they end up attending court hearings, adjusting to new foster homes and transitioning to new schools. That’s a heavy burden for any child to carry. The good news is that with a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer dedicated to their case, the most vulnerable children in Michigan’s Great Southwest have someone by their side, speaking up for their best interests.
Now, the local organization, Berrien County’s Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, is hopeful that you will consider becoming a volunteer advocating for local foster children. There are more than 300 children in the foster care system in Southwest Michigan.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA’s) are community members who volunteer with CASA of Southwest Michigan. They work with children in the child welfare system who have already experienced abuse or neglect. They meet with children in person at least monthly (often weekly), and provide information to judges that helps them make the most well-informed decisions about each child.
These visits provide an opportunity for CASA/GAL volunteers to check in on children’s safety and wellbeing. But right now, meeting in person with the children they advocate for is impossible. That means it is harder for them to gauge what is going on in children’s lives, and their needs.
These volunteers are working with program staff to find creative ways to continue to meet with children such as video conferencing, sending mail, phone calls and even playing online video games together.
Jamie Brooks, CASA of Southwest Michigan Executive Director, says, “Many don’t realize that when a child is placed in foster care they enter a complicated and confusing time in their lives, a time filled with almost constant change. Our exceptional volunteers walk beside them, learn everything about them and make sure they are receiving the supports they need to thrive.”
Brooks says, “They provide this vital information, along with their recommendations, to the court so that court can make the most informed decisions for that child. We expect the number of foster children to rise due to the COVID-19 virus as homebound children in abusive situations are particularly vulnerable. We’re there for them.”
So, recruiting is underway, and according to Brooks, “We need volunteers now more than ever, and are encouraging all community members to join with us either by volunteering or by helping us ensure children are safe during this time of national crisis. We will be offering virtual CASA training to begin very soon and volunteers will be able to begin advocating as soon as it is safe to do so.”
To Volunteer or donate to CASA you can contact Jamie Brooks, Jamie@casaswmi.org or visit online at this link: http://www.CASAswmi.org
