Maryland Advocates Needed for Youth in Foster Care

Court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteers make a life-changing difference for children who have experienced abuse or neglect or had contact with the juvenile justice system. Each volunteer is appointed by a judge to advocate for a child’s best interest in court. Our volunteers help judges develop a fuller picture of each child’s life. Their advocacy enables judges to make the most well-informed decision for each child.

• CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for children’s best interests. They stay with each case until it is closed and the child is in a safe, permanent home. We serve children from birth through the 21.
• Volunteers work with legal and child welfare professionals, educators, and service providers to ensure that judges have all the information they need to make the most well-informed decisions for each child.
• Our best-interest advocacy is driven by the guiding principle that children grow and develop best with their family of origin, if that can be safely achieved. Most of the children we work with are in foster care, and/or had contact with the juvenile justice system, but some are with their family of origin. Our goal is a safe and permanent home.

Training:

Pre-service training to learn about trauma-informed volunteering and the impact a CASA makes in the life of a youth. - ONGOING IN-SERVICE TRAINING: 10 hours per year to learn about relevant topics to support your youth.