Foster care should be temporary, not a way of life
Kids Matter CASA is a program for volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in Milwaukee County Children’s Court. A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is an everyday hero like you appointed by the court to independently investigate the cases of these children and advocate for what is best for each child with the goal of a loving, safe, and permanent home. While all volunteers are welcome, KIDS MATTER seeks to recruit, train, and assign volunteer advocates who reflect the unique lived experiences of the children served — making sure their voices are heard and valued.
Through Kids Matter CASA, community volunteers are provided free training to be advocates for children in foster or kinship care. Appointed by the Children’s Court judges and commissioners to one case at a time, a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer monitors the child’s situation, identifies community resources and participates in the court process to accomplish the goal of moving the child to permanency and ending the need for court oversight.
The Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer gathers information by talking to the child, family, case managers, teachers, attorneys and others who are involved in the child’s life. A written recommendation is made in a court report that is prepared for each court hearing. This court report is independent of the case manager’s and attorney’s reports and is often read first by the judge. A CASA volunteer will remain on a case until permanency is reached. On the average, the length of a case is a year.
Do you want to become a CASA volunteer?
Explore our website for more information about the CASA volunteer program and when you’re ready, submit your information using the form below. We can’t wait to hear from you!