A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a citizen volunteer who serves as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) for neglected and abused children in the Wood County Juvenile Court system. A CASA/GAL volunteer’s primary focus is on what is best for the child. CASA/GAL advocates are trained by the Juvenile Court to gather information about a child victim’s social and emotional background and current circumstances and make recommendations to the court regarding what is best for that child. The CASA/GAL then monitors the child’s progress until the child is placed by the Court in a permanent home. The goal of the CASA/GAL advocate is to ensure that a child’s voice, needs, and wishes are heard by the Court and that the child’s right to a safe, permanent home is acted on in a sensitive and expedient manner.
|
|
|
|
|
|