King County Dependency CASA

The mission of the Dependency CASA Program is to recruit, train and support community volunteers to represent the best interest of children, alleged to be abused and neglected, that are involved in Dependency proceedings. As part of King County Superior Court, the Dependency CASA Program strives to provide high quality best interest advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect and to promote their safety, permanence and well-being. The primary obligation of this representation is to independently investigate the circumstances of the children and to make recommendations to court with regard to visitation, placement and services for the family.

The King County Superior Court Dependency CASA Program was established in 1977 by Presiding Judge David W. Soukup, who recognized that the court needed independent, child-focused information when making critical decisions for children involved in juvenile dependency proceedings due to abuse or neglect. What began as a small group of community volunteers has grown into a nationally recognized model of court-appointed advocacy.

Today, CASA is a nationwide network of more than 70,000 trained volunteers serving children across the United States. Locally, the King County Dependency CASA Program operates out of the Patricia J. Clark Children and Family Justice Center in Seattle, WA and the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, WA.

Our program currently oversees more than 220 dedicated volunteers who advocate for over 800 children involved in juvenile dependency proceedings due to abuse or neglect. Yet approximately 310 children in King County are still waiting for a CASA volunteer to be appointed to their case.

CASA volunteers independently gather information about the child’s and family’s circumstances, communicate with key parties to support collaboration, and advocate for services, decisions, and plans that serve the child’s best interests. They monitor court orders for compliance and maintain regular contact with those involved in the case to provide informed, fact-based recommendations to the court. The goal in every dependency proceeding is to achieve a safe and stable permanency outcome for the child.