SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – Children going through the family court system can be easily overwhelmed by the many people involved, including lawyers, judges and foster parents. Onondaga CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, stick with the child through their entire process and provide the judge with an unbiased peek into their lives.
Volunteer Julia Irvine has been with the program for four years. She said CASA is extremely important to kids in this situation.
“They need one stable person in their life who they consistently see,” said Irvine.
Jane Stopher is a recently retired volunteer who served the community for 22 years. She served ten cases in her time with the program and said they weren’t always resolved with placing the kids back with their parents, but they ended with the best situation for the child. Her stories kept coming back to one necessity.
“Kids need stability,” said Stopher.
Oftentimes, children in the foster care system move from place to place, changing schools and foster homes every few months.
Program manager Michelle Kitchen explained the impact CASA can have in these situations.
“Sometimes the CASA advocate is the only constant person in their lives,” said Kitchen.
The CASA appointed to the case meets regularly with the child to see how their situation is progressing. Julia Irvine said the kids have their lawyer to advocate for them legally, but CASA is there to fill in the gaps and provide emotional support.
“I’ve had cases where they send me a message saying, ‘You’re going to be there right? You’re going to be there at court?’” said Irvine.
The program advocates for as many children as they’re appointed to by the family court judges, but they’ve run into issues with less volunteers than normal in recent years.
“Last year, there were nine children that we couldn’t serve,” said Kitchen. “Because we didn’t have enough volunteers.”
Volunteers are paired one on one with children, or two volunteers for a case with more than three children. Onondaga CASA currently has 15 volunteers, with two on leave and one more in training.
Irvine says they’ve been losing about as many volunteers as come in.
“Sometimes people will come through and they’ll do one case and say, ‘Okay, I need a break,’” said Irving.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Child advocate program in Onondaga County suffers with lack of volunteers
Jessica Nester: Children going through the family court system can become easily overwhelmed by the many people involved and the trauma they’ve already experienced. Onondaga CASA, or court appointed special advocates, stick with the child for the entire process and give the judge a peek into their life. Volunteer Julia Irvine explains why CASA is so important to kids in this situation.
Julia Irvine: They need one stable person in their life who they consistently see.
Nester: Jane Stopher recently retired after 22 years of giving her children one thing.
Jane Stopher: Kids need stability.
Nester: Oftentimes, kids are moved from place to place, changing schools and foster homes every few months. Program manager Michelle Kitchen says this only furthers why CASA is necessary in the court system.
Michelle Kitchen: Sometimes the CASA advocate is the only constant person in their lives.
Irvine: I’ve had cases where they send me a message, ‘You’re going to be there right? You’re going to be there at court?’
Nester: Onondaga CASA advocates for as many children as they’re appointed to by the family court judges, but they’ve run into issues with less volunteers than normal in recent years.
Kitchen: Last year, there were nine children that we couldn’t serve because we didn’t have enough volunteers.
Nester: Volunteers are paired one on one with children. Onondaga CASA currently has 13 volunteers with one more in training. Irvine says they’ve been losing about as many volunteers as come in.
Irvine: Sometimes people will come through and they’ll do one case and say, okay I need a break.
Nester: As mentally taxing as it can be, the memories of the children they’ve helped stay with them forever.
Stopher: I’m picturing the front steps of the house they were living in. The mother just said, thank you for sticking with us through this. I appreciate what you’ve done.
Nester: Reporting in Syracuse, Jessica Nester — NCC News.
As mentally taxing as it can be, the memories of the children they’ve helped stay with them forever.
Jane Stopher shared a story about the ending of a case where the child had fought with her birth mother and didn’t want to move back home, despite everything being lined up for her to re-enter the house. Stopher motivated her to speak up to the judge about what she really wanted and ended up being placed in a separate housing situation, much to her happiness.
The girl still had regular visits with her parents, which Stopher had permission to accompany her to. During one reunion, the parents of the child approached her.
“I’m picturing the front steps of the housing they were living in,” said Stopher. “The mother, who had never really had a lot to say to me, just said, ‘Thank you for sticking with us through this. I appreciate what you’ve done.’”
Onondaga CASA is always looking for new volunteers to continue to make an impact on children like these in the community.