Mother’s Day: Child Advocates Celebrate CASA Volunteers

Child Advocates of Fort Bend celebrates volunteers who give their time and love to children in child welfare custody who do not have a mother or mother-figure with them on Mother’s Day. You too can become a CASA volunteer.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers help with children who have been separated from their mothers and their family.

Mother’s Day only brings deep sadness for these children.

Volunteers who work with Child Advocates help children as they are struggling through these very difficult times after they have been separated from their families for abuse or neglect.

A CASA volunteer is a member of the community who is appointed by a judge to speak in court on behalf of a child’s best interest.

These volunteers provide stability and familiarity as these children go through the foster care system.

In a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas, Ruthanne Mefford, Chief Executive Officer of Child Advocates of Fort Bend stated “In many cases, a CASA volunteer is the one consistent presence in a child’s life while he or she is in the foster care system.”

She continued, “That volunteer often fills the role of a parental figure by providing much-needed support and guidance.”

These volunteers get to know the children they have been appointed for, and they investigate to learn about everyone in the child’s life.

CASA volunteers fill in the gap for the understaffed and overburdened Department of Family and Protective Services (“CPS”). They also serve as an additional and independent voice for the judge and give recommendations for the best interest of the child. Judges really depend on them.

You can become a CASA volunteer in Fort Bend by calling (281) 344-5146, or you can visit the website for the Child Advocates of Fort Bend at www.cafb.org for more information.

For individuals in other areas of the state, you can visit the website at TexasCASA at www.texascasa.org to find out how to become a volunteer.

Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as an associate family court judge and a CPS lawyer. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2