King County Dependency CASA Program - Seattle
Cause Area
- Children & Youth
- Community
- Justice & Legal
Location
1401 East Jefferson Ste 500Seattle, WA 98122 United StatesWebsite:
http://www.kingcountycasa.org
Share
Organization Information
Mission Statement
The mission of the King County Superior Court Dependency CASA Program is to recruit and train diverse community volunteers to represent the best interests of children who experience abuse and neglect in dependency proceedings. The primary obligation of this advocacy is to independently investigate the circumstances of the child and to formulate recommendations to the court.
Description
The King County Superior Court Dependency CASA Program was created to support the needs of abused and neglected children through the use of committed and caring community volunteers. The program was conceptualized in 1976 by the Honorable Judge David W. Soukup of King County Superior Court. Due to the success of the program many court jurisdictions throughout the country began replicating the Seattle model. A national association was formed in 1981 and the phrase Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) was adopted as a national designation for trained volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children. Volunteer opportunities exist in Seattle as well as at the Regional Justice Center in South King County.
Reviews
Would you recommend King County Dependency CASA Program - Seattle?
1 review
Write a review
Write a review
(January 20, 2009)
This is one of the most satisfying volunteer positions you can find. Basically, once a child is placed in the foster system, if the situation is critical enough, they are assigned a CASA. Your job as a CASA is to track this child through their foster homes - meet with the parents, teachers, doctors, foster home, etc. and help the courts determine the best placement for this child.
I can't tell you how many children need a CASA right now - the demand is always much higher than the supply, which is tragic. CASA's really pave the way for children to find the best placement. You feel so good for doing this and it typically takes about ten hours per month, depending on your caseload, so it's a very do-able volunteer option.