Today, approximately 780,000 children in the US are caught up in the court and child welfare maze because they are unable to live safely at home. Imagine what it would be like to lose your parents, not because of something you did, but because they can't - or won't - take care of you. Now, into these children's lives come dozens of strangers...police officers, social workers, foster parents, therapists, judges, lawyers, and more. Hopefully one of these strangers is a CASA Volunteer.
CASA Volunteers are appointed by judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children, to make sure they don't get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languish in an inappropriate group or foster home. They stay with each case until it is closed, and the child is living in a safe, permanent home. For many abused children, their CASA volunteer will be the only constant adult presence - the only adult who cares only for them!
The Sioux Falls Area CASA Program provides trained volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in the 2nd Judicial Circuit of South Dakota. These volunteers represent the victims of child abuse and neglect throughout the duration of circuit court proceedings to assist the judge in determining the children's legal and physical custodial placements. Many of these children have parents who were abused/neglected or molested as children. Additionally, a great number of children we serve have also witnessed domestic violence between their caregivers.
The goal of CASA is to provide a volunteer advocate for every abused and neglected child involved in court proceedings. By providing advocates for 100% of the children, we will be assured that the court is fully knowledgeable of what is in the best interests of each child. Our goal is to have volunteers waiting for children, not children on a list waiting for a volunteer. The specific objectives of our program are: 1) to provide volunteer advocates to speak on behalf of the best interests of the children involved in these proceedings; 2) to ensure that the best interests of the children remain the focus of the court proceedings; 3) to ensure that the children are not further victimized by the system designed to protect them and; 4) to ensure the right decision is made the first time so the children don't re-enter the system due to continued abuse & neglect.