| Last
year in Kern County there were 25,191 reports of child abuse and neglect. Many of our 3,400
dependents of the court have been sent to live in foster care. Some of
these kids are actually moved from one temporary placement to another
until they reach 18, never knowing what it is like to have a safe,
permanent and loving place to call home.
Almost half a million children
in the
United States live in foster care, meant
to be a temporary haven. They have been removed from their homes, not because
they did anything wrong, but because they've been abused or neglected.
One judge had an idea
to help these children find a way into
safe, permanent homes more quickly. In Kern County and all over California and the
nation, communities and the courts have worked together to establish programs to
recruit, screen, train, supervise, and support volunteer community members to
advocate for the best interests of individual abused children. These CASA
programs are known by several names: Voices For Children, Choices For Children,
Child Advocates, Child Advocacy Program, Court Appointed Special Representative
Program, Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem Programs, and of course, Court Appointed
Special Advocate or CASA programs - and of course, CASA of Kern
County.
CASAs are trained volunteers
who are appointed by a judge to speak up for the
best interests of a child. Now, there are over 42,000 CASA volunteers helping
abused and neglected children all across the country. But, 3/4 of the children
who need a CASA don't have one.
You can help
these girls and boys to have a voice in court, and a chance at a
future.
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