CASA-Voices for Children
Serving Benton and Lincoln Counties
casa@casa-vfc.org
We often refer to children who have suffered from abuse and neglect as “the invisible child”; we can’t show you their faces, we can’t tell you their names and they don’t wear a badge that says “I’ve been abused”. What we can share with you is that by the time a child enters care, they have already suffered significant abuse and require services for mental health, behaviors, academics, social skills and so much more. That’s where CASA comes in. With a dedicated Advocate, these children will have an adult by their side to speak up for their best interests in the courtroom and community, and to help them find the road home, wherever it lies.
Our highly trained volunteer advocates ensure that their child receives the services they need to heal from the trauma they have endured. CASAs also collaborate with educators to facilitate the academic support the child needs to succeed. They work to limit the time the child spends in foster care and the number of times the child has to change placements. Most impactful of all, CASAs are there to make sure that the child has the best chance at having a loving, nurturing forever home and family.
Battling child abuse and neglect takes a collective effort, and you can join the many heroes providing a voice for our community’s most vulnerable children. Research has shown that the presence of even one stable, caring adult in a child’s life can help them develop resilience and counteract the negative impacts of abuse and neglect. As a CASA volunteer, you can be that supportive adult for a child in need.
Every day we see the difference that advocates make for the children who have suffered such trauma in their young lives. There is no way to describe to you just how much this impacts the future of these children.
To find out more about CASA – Voices for Children of Benton and Lincoln Counties, visit us at www.casa-vfc.org to see how you can help to change a child’s life.