In Child Protective Services (CPS) cases, a judge appoints a trained CASA volunteer to make independent and informed recommendations in the child’s best interest. CASA volunteers undergo screening (including reference, Child Protective Services, sex offender registry and criminal background checks), participate in a 39-hour training process and are supervised by CASA of Travis County staff.
What are the different roles on the case?
CASA volunteer/Guardian ad litem: CASA volunteers (and occasionally staff) serve as court-appointed guardians ad litem, advocating for a child’s best interest. CASA volunteers are typically assigned to only one child or family of children. They get to know kids; communicate with children, parents, relatives, placements, teachers, doctors and therapists; and make independent recommendations to the court.
CPS Caseworker: During a legal case with Child Protective Services (CPS), CPS is legally responsible for the child’s welfare and for providing services to the family. A CPS caseworker monitors children’s care while they are involved in the case. This means working with the parents, extended family, and legal parties to help children have a permanent, safe place to live.
Attorney ad Litem: The attorney ad litem represents the wants/wishes and the legal interests of the child, advises the child on legal matters (if child is old enough), and files legal documents relevant to the child’s case.
Parent Attorney: The parent’s attorney represents the wants/wishes and the legal interests of the parent, advises the parent on legal matters, and files legal documents on behalf of the parent.
What CASA Does
As a court-appointed guardian ad litem, CASA will:
- Get a clear understanding of the needs and situation of the child by reviewing all relevant documents and interviewing the child, parents, social workers, teachers, and others.
- Maintain confidentiality of all issues and records of the case.
- Meet the child promptly after appointment and meet in person with the child regularly.
- Have other types of age appropriate contact with the child including telephone calls, e-mails, and/or letters.
- Meet in person with the person/family with whom the child is living and speak with them on a regular basis.
- Advocate for the child(ren)’s best interest in the mental health, medical, legal, educational and other community systems.
- Seek cooperative solutions by speaking regularly with the child’s parents, family members, attorney ad litem, teachers, and other service providers.
- Appear at court hearings to advocate for the child’s best interest and for a permanent home.
- Prioritize child safety.
What CASA Does Not Do
As a court-appointed guardian ad litem, CASA WILL NOT:
- Identify the child as a child appointed to CASA or involved with Child Protective Services to anyone not professionally related to the child’s case.
- Introduce the child to anyone who is not related to the child’s case.
- Take the child to the volunteer/employee’s home or to the home of the volunteer/employee’s personal friends or family.
- Purchase expensive gifts for the child or the child’s family or caregiver.
- Accept expensive gifts from the child or the child’s family or caregiver.
- Give legal advice, medical advice or therapeutic counseling.
- Provide living arrangements for the child.
- Take a child on an overnight outing.
- Maintain contact with a child after the case closes, except when the child is 18 and consents to continued contact.
- Take the child to any water activities.
CASA of Travis County Ethics Statement
It is CASA’s duty to promote the safety and well-being of the children we serve. We shall protect children from abuse and from practices that are emotionally and physically damaging, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitive or intimidating.
CASA of Travis County Code of Conduct
Our commitment as an organization is to create an environment for children and youth that is safe, nurturing, empowering, and which promotes growth and success for the children we serve. This Code of Conduct outlines specific expectations of employees and volunteers:
- Children and youth will be treated with respect at all times.
- Employees and volunteers will not swear or tell off-color jokes in the presence of children or youth.
- Employees and volunteers will not discuss with children or youth private details of their personal lives or sexual encounters or in any way involve children in their personal problems or issues.
- Employees and volunteers will not use or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs in the presence of children or youth.
- Employees and volunteers will not have sexually-oriented materials, including printed or internet pornography, in the presence of children or youth.
- Employees and volunteers will not have secrets with children or youth.
- Employees and volunteers will avoid wearing provocative or revealing attire in the presence of children or youth.
- Employees and volunteers will not stare or comment on a child’s or youth’s body.
- Employees and volunteers will adhere to uniform standards of affection.
- Appropriate physical interactions include: Side hugs; Pats on the shoulder, back or head; High-fives, hand-slapping and handshakes; Verbal praise; Holding hands (with young children in escorting situations); Allowing pre-school or kindergarten-aged children to sit on employee’s or volunteer’s knees. If a child is verbal, the advocate will ask the child’s permission before initiating any physical contact.
- Inappropriate physical interactions include: Full-frontal hugs; Kisses; Showing affection in isolated areas; Sleeping in a bed with a child; Allowing children older than kindergarten-aged to sit on employee’s or volunteer’s knees; Wrestling, piggyback rides, tickling; Any type of massage given by or to a child; Any form of affection that is unwanted by the child or the employee or volunteer; Compliments relating to physique or body development; Touching bottom, chest or genital areas.
- Employees and volunteers will avoid affection that cannot be observed by a third party.
- Employees and volunteers shall not abuse children or youth in anyway, including the following:
- Physical abuse: hitting, spanking, shaking, slapping, unnecessary restraints
- Verbal abuse: degrading, threatening, cursing
- Sexual abuse: inappropriate touch, exposing oneself, sexually-oriented conversations
- Mental abuse: shaming, humiliation, cruelty
- Neglect: withholding food, water, shelter
Any type of abuse will not be tolerated and will result in immediate dismissal from CASA. CASA will fully cooperate with authorities if allegations of abuse are made and investigated.
CASA employees and volunteers shall not have engaged in or been actively charged with or convicted of child abuse, indecency with a child, or injury to a child.
Grievance Policy (Concerns About CASA)
In the course of our work as court-appointed guardians ad litem advocating for the best interests of children, we recognize that we will have disagreements with others involved in these cases. Many of these disagreements are attributable to the nature of our court-based work, wherein different parties take different positions on what is the best outcome of a case.
When, however, there are concerns about the quality of CASA’s work on a case, child safety, our professionalism or whether we are fulfilling our statutory role, as opposed to dissatisfaction that our stated position is not what another party wishes it were, we take those concerns very seriously and wish to address them.
In most cases, these concerns can be satisfactorily addressed informally, through conversation with the CASA staff, starting with the Child Advocacy Specialist assigned to the case, continuing if necessary to that person’s Advocacy Program Manager, our Senior Director of Advocacy and potentially culminating with CASA’s Chief Program Officer. We welcome and encourage these conversations.
In the event that informal conversation does not resolve a person’s concern, they may choose to make a formal grievance to the Senior Director of Advocacy, Senior Director of Innovation, Chief Program Officer, or Chief Executive Officer, all of whom can be reached at 512.459.2272 or at 7600 Chevy Chase Dr, Ste 200, Austin, TX 78752.
Concerns may also be submitted online via our Contact Form.