Fairfax County's most vulnerable children--those who have been abused and neglected by their parents and caretakers-- deserve an adult who has only their best interests at heart and makes sure that their voice is heard in the child welfare system. For 30 years, Fairfax CASA has provided highly trained and professionally supervised advocates to over 7,000 of Fairfax's abused children; children who don't deserve what they have experienced before entering a system meant to protect them--a system that is often overwhelmed and sometimes loses focus on the child. Empowered by a court order, the CASA volunteer completes an in-depth investigation of the case to provide the court a clear picture of what is happening in the child's life and what his/her needs are, by submitting reports to the court prior to every hearing and as needed, which include concrete recommendations. CASAs remain committed to the child until case closure (on average 23 months), providing consistent support, compassion, and a voice in not just court but also in the school system and the foster care system. For those youth who remain in foster care until they turn 18, our CASA volunteers remain on their cases and if the child opts to continue to receive services after age 18 (up until 21), the CASA can remain a support during the challenging transition into adulthood. For many children, their CASA volunteer is the one consistent adult--the promise keeper-- they can count on in a complex, chaotic, and sometimes scary system.
Fairfax CASA achieves all described outcomes through its core program activities, which include continuous recruitment, screening, training, retention, and professional supervision of volunteers to serve as CASA volunteers. Although the organization’s basic services have not changed, the current approach reflects lessons learned through 28 years of operation and innovations sparked by evolving county, state, and national priorities. In order to fully serve the stated needs of the Court, Fairfax CASA engages in a continuous cycle of: (1) expansive volunteer recruitment; (2) comprehensive training of volunteers to develop core competence on a wide range of topics required by National CASA and the state, as well as the County; (3) quality supervision and support by a staff of highly trained professionals to ensure retention of volunteers; and, (4) professional development of staff to ensure the highest quality supervision.
The Court issues an order for Fairfax CASA to appoint a trained volunteer to serve every abused and neglected child by: (1) conducting an independent investigation of the case; (2) monitoring the case related to compliance with Court-ordered services; (3) submitting a written report directly to the judge for each hearing on the case, which includes recommendations for services and permanency for each child; and, (4) assisting the Guardian ad litem's legal representation of the child in Court. The judges rely on the CASA volunteer to provide a consistent level of advocacy and support for the child until the child is placed in a safe and permanent home. It is incumbent upon Fairfax CASA to ensure that only the most qualified citizens become volunteers and that a professional staff train and supervise them in accordance with the highest standards.
