During child welfare cases, it can sometimes be difficult for the child’s voice to be heard.
Volunteers with Southeast Nebraska’s Court Appointed Special Advocates aim to give children a louder voice in the court system.
According to Southeast Nebraska CASA Executive Director Wess Robotham, CASA volunteers are in short supply in the area. Saline County has 11 kids that would benefit from an advocate and Seward County has six children waiting. Southeast CASA also serves Jefferson County.
Robotham said the foster care system went from a public program, to a private one and then back to the public sector. There is also a new model for determining whether a child is safe in his or her home.
“Child welfare is an ever-changing thing,” Robotham said.
Robotham also said case workers and lawyers in this system are often overworked and re-assigned cases.
Approximately 50 percent of children in foster care have had four or more caseworkers assigned to their case at different times, according to Robotham.
However, CASA volunteers stay with their children from when the case opens to when it closes.
“We know there’s going to be one consistent adult with that child during their case,” Robotham said.
Bruce Dickinson and his wife Sue Dickinson of Seward volunteer as advocates together. Bruce has been volunteering for 16 years and Sue has been an advocate for 10.
The Dickinsons worked in the school system before they retired; Bruce was a middle and high school guidance councilor and Sue taught elementary school.
“It seemed a natural fit for the both of us,” Sue said. “I couldn’t imagine not being involved with children.”
Over the years, the Dickinsons have advocated for many children, and Sue said she felt advocacy has led to more positive outcomes for the children.
“[In court] you see the attorney serving the parents, the attorney serving the child and the judge trying to treat the case fairly,” Sue said. “They all have other roles, they all have other cases they’re working on.
“That child is our only concern.”
Advocates are required to visit the child at least twice a month and fill out court reports to help judges make the best decision for the child.
Additionally, advocates ensure that court orders are being followed, like when a child needs to see a counselor, they visit with the child’s school and meet with the child’s caseworker and guardian for monthly team meetings.
Overall, Robotham said it’s a time commitment of 10-15 hours a month.
Volunteers go through 30 hours of training before receiving their first case, Robotham said.
Volunteers can take 10, three-hour classes or split that time with a new online program. Robotham said volunteers learn the nuts and bolts of advocacy online, and then spend the second half of training applying what they’ve learned in person.
CASA is also open to volunteers who are having trouble with their case and need advice. CASA volunteers also have a support meeting once a month over dinner.
One thing Sue has learned as a CASA volunteer is that the outcome the advocate wants for the case can often change.
Sue said while the Department of Health and Human Service’s first goal is to re-unify the family, it’s not always the best solution.
For example, Sue and Bruce once advocated for three half-siblings and each had a different ending.
One of the siblings went back to their mother, one went to live with their biological father and the third was adopted by another family.
“It was the right ending for each of those children,” Sue said. “Just because the ending you want doesn’t happen doesn’t mean it’s not the best outcome.”
One of the hardest parts about being an advocate, according to the Dickinsons, is saying goodbye.
“When you’ve been connected to those kiddos for such a long time, it’s hard to let go,” Bruce said.
Sue said they can keep in touch with phone calls and cards, but they try to be fair to the families.
“It’s better for us to step back and let these families get back to their lives,” Sue said. “It’s bittersweet when a case ends.”
