You Are Needed to Help an African-American Abused Child

Special to The Truth

 

Last year in Lucas County over 600 children were removed from their parents for safekeeping from abuse and neglect. Often we hear, “It takes a village to raise a child.” It also takes a village to protect a child. Who will help protect these children?

 

Nearly half of the children in Lucas County removed from their homes due to the imminent risk of harm are African American. These children are living in foster care or with relatives, if the children are lucky enough to have appropriate relatives in the area. They can best be served by a familiar face, an African American face, during this frightening, chaotic time in their lives.

 

Lucas County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), an accredited member of the National CASA Association is hosting a free, CASA public information meeting to recruit advocates for our community’s abused and neglected children. The meeting will take place at the Kent Branch Library on Monday, November 17, 2014 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. For additional information or to RSVP, contact casainfo@co.lucas.oh.us or 419-213-6753.

 

Sponsored by Lucas County Juvenile Court Judges Denise Navarre Cubbon and Connie Zemmelman, CASA is a nonprofit organization of volunteers who thoroughly and independently research cases of child dependency, neglect and/ or abuse. A CASA volunteer is not part of Lucas County Children Services. A trained CASA volunteer is appointed by a juvenile court judge to represent a child’s best interests in court and to serve as the child’s guardian ad litem (or temporary guardian). As a child’s advocate, the CASA volunteer has three main responsibilities: 1) to serve as an independent fact-finder for the judge by thoroughly researching the background of each assigned case; 2) to speak for the child in the courtroom, representing the child’s best interest and making recommendations for services for the child and the family; and 3) to act as a “watchdog” for the child during the life of the case, ensuring that what is best for the child happens and that the case is brought to a timely and appropriate conclusion.

 

Last year, 337 new abuse and neglect cases involving 638 children entered the court system in Lucas County. CASA volunteers were able to serve only 264 of those children. Thus, 59  percent of the children had no CASA volunteer to advocate on their behalf. CASA volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring a stable social and emotional future for these children.

 

The CASA volunteer becomes an official part of the judicial proceedings, working alongside attorneys and social workers as an appointed officer of the court. Unlike attorneys and social workers, however, the CASA volunteer speaks exclusively for the child’s best interest.

 

By handling only one or two cases at a time (compared to a social agency caseworker’s load of 20 cases or more), the CASA volunteer has the time to explore thoroughly the history of each assigned case. The volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, school officials, doctors, and others involved in the child’s background who might have facts about the case.  The volunteer also reviews all records and documents pertaining to the child. The CASA volunteer provides continuity by staying on the case until a permanent custody plan is approved by the court. That plan may include reunification with the child’s parent(s), legal custody to a relative, or adoption.