Natalie and Noah came into foster care for the second time after their mom relapsed into her addiction and was kicked out of her sober living home. Their dad was incarcerated and unable to parent his kids. When they came back into foster care, Noah had already spent half of his young life in the child welfare system. A judge soon appointed a newly sworn-in volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to the two kids. The kids’ new CASA faced several challenges as he got started on the case, but he persisted in his efforts to visit the kids and establish a relationship with Natalie, Noah, their foster placement, school, and their mom.
Several months after the CASA was appointed to the case, baby Nash was born. The CASA willingly took on this new sibling and baby Nash went to go live with a different foster family. Natalie and Noah were excited to meet their new baby brother and were able to see him frequently. Over the past year, the CASA has become an important mentor and trusted friend to the children and a strong advocate for their medical and educational needs. Natalie in particular, struggled in school when she came back into foster care. Her CASA now visits her school several times a month to read with her and stay updated on her educational progress. She happily told her CASA at his most recent school visit that reading was one of her favorite subjects.
The CASA has also been a great source of support for the kids’ mom who started going through the Family Recovery Court program with the goal of being a safe, sober parent for her three kids. Currently, the kids are doing regular visits with their mom at her home. The CASA hopes to see the case closed in the coming year with reunification. In the meantime, the CASA will continue to champion the kids’ needs and wishes and be a source of support for everyone on the case.
