Kinship Care for Children and Families
The idea of family members assisting and supporting each other is not new. This is a traditional practice in most cultures. The foster care system is starting to incorporate kinship care as a permanency option for children. Efforts are underway to remove barriers to kinship placements, including removing bureaucratic processes and streamlining legal proceedings to allow relatives to safely care for children and maintain important family connections. Efforts are also beginning to examine foster care licensing requirements, supports and services for kin, and approaches to complex family dynamics that affect kin and their ability to care for children.
144 CASA volunteers served 292 children in April and helped find safe, permanent homes for 12 of those children.
94 children are still waiting for someone to be their voice.

Recruiter's Corner

It only takes 30 minutes to learn about the difference a CASA can make in a child's life.

Register for a virtual CASA 101 information session here.

Our next CASA training will begin on June 14, 2022.


"When you connect to the heart of a child, everything is possible."
Dr. Karen Purvis
Child.tcu.edu
Court Reports - Advocating for Permanency
One of the most important roles of a CASA Volunteer is advocating for the children they are assigned to in court. The judges count on volunteers to provide them with information on what is in a child’s best interest. Our children have attorneys that are bound to advocate for the child’s wishes, and quite often those wishes are not always the same as best interest.  
  
Remember to keep your CASA Volunteer file up-to-date with your current
auto insurance card, driver's license, and contact information. 
And remember to visit your CASA child face-to-face at least once a month.
In April, the Children's Advocacy Center provided advocacy and forensic interviews to 61 children.

In the River Region, 21 children and families were provided 44 hours of counseling.


Prepared Not Scared
With the beginning of hurricane season, Child Advocacy Services is excited to share Prepared Not Scared™. Prepared Not Scared™ is an interactive resource educating children and families on severe weather and how to address emotions associated with all severe weather and emergencies. This resource identifies many topics of severe weather including: hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and thunderstorms.
Prepared Not Scared™ introduces "Sunny", a friendly turtle who helps families learn what to expect during severe weather; how to prepare and respond before, during, and after severe weather emergencies; and shares ways to effectively communicate with children and family members during these emergencies. Sunny encourages open discussions between family members and the importance of developing an appropriate plan for all severe weather emergencies.
Weather is unpredictable. It is important for all children and families to have discussions about how to prepare and the appropriate responses to severe weather to increase levels of safety and awareness. If you would like copies of Prepared Not Scared™, or more information about Prepared Not Scared™, please call Child Advocacy Services at 800-798-1575.
To register for The Parent-Child Relationship as a Space for Healing, click here.
To register for Childhood Trauma and Adversity, click here.
To register for The Power of Positive Parenting, click here.
To register for Raising Confident, Competent Children, click here.
To register for June 7th Parent Cafe, click here.
To register for June 21st Parent Cafe, click here.
To register for July 5th Parent Cafe, click here.
May Webinars/Conferences
*CASA Volunteers are required to receive 12 Continuing Education hours per year. Only 4 can be articles, newsletters, and films.
Brave children tell their stories. Courageous adults help these children through their trauma and assist them in finding a safe future. Buttons of Bravery represent the journey of one child for a year under the care of Child Advocacy Services. 
In 2021, Child Advocacy Services CASA Program served 446 children with 188 volunteers dedicating over 6,890 hours. The CAC Program provided 707 forensic interviews and 536 counseling sessions to children and families.

YOU can help us do more by investing in services for children!
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