Child Advocates of Placer County

Child Advocates of Placer County is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program that recruits and trains community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. As a CASA, you will work one-on-one with a foster child advocating on their behalf in the juvenile court and assisting them in obtaining all necessary services while they are dependents in the foster care system. TYPICALLY, THE TIME REQUIREMENT FOR BEING A CASA IS ABOUT 12 HOURS/MONTH. The ultimate goal of a CASA is to help the child find a safe and permanent home, whether it would be a return to their families, adoption or guardianship. A minimum of one year and 15 to 20 hours a month (on average) is required. There is flexibility as to when you spend time with a child as there is no set schedule. This is a great opportunity for active retirees, students and working professionals. Extensive training and program support provided to all advocates. Background check and references required. Must be at least 21 years old and have a good driving record and reliable transportation. Male volunteers and bilingual volunteers especially encouraged to apply. No prior legal or social work experience required just the desire and ability to work with these kids and the court system is necessary. Prior to being accepted into training, Child Advocates holds mandatory orientation sessions. You need to attend only one of these sessions. These sessions will provide general information about the CASA mission as well as a brief introduction of the topics to be covered during the required 30-35 hours of training. Topics covered during the training course may include but are not limited to Advocacy and the Law, Court Process, Roles of the Attorney and the Social Worker, Cultural Awareness, and Developmental Stages/Behavioral Disorders of youth. Orientations and trainings occur several times a year. Contact Kathryn Hart at 530-887-1006 or by e-mail info@casaplacer.org for more information. Please be sure to include your full name, address, e-mail, and telephone number. You may also wish to visit our website for more information: www.casaplacer.org.