CASA Program for Bullitt County, Inc.

Volunteer Policy & Procedures 11026

We are excited that you have decided to become a voice in a child’s life and we are eager to work with you. We know that you will find your work as a CASA volunteer to be meaningful. We also know that at times the work can be challenging. We are here to help you be the best advocate you can be for an abused or neglected child. The following information is intended to clarify the policies and procedures for CASA volunteers. If you have any questions about it, please ask! We will be asking you to sign a statement indicating you understand and accept these policies.

COMMUNICATION

Communication with CASA staff is essential. When should you call? Call when…

  • You have questions,
  • You are worried or frustrated about some aspect of your case
  • You want to update your supervisor about your case
  • You want to let us know about a success
  • It’s time to write your court report
  • You need access to legal advice
  • Or you need help identifying resources or gathering information

CONFIDENTIALITY

Confidentiality is also essential. You can discuss your case with CASA staff, the social worker or case worker assigned to the case or their supervisor, the county attorney, and the guardian ad litem. You can not discuss your specific case with any reporter or other representative of the media, your family, friends or neighbors. Never discuss names or details of a case with non-advocates. Contact your supervisor when you need to discuss your case. Please talk with your supervisor if you are not sure of what to tell someone. You will be sworn in under oath by the judge and asked to sign a Confidentiality Policy when accepting a case.

CONFLICTS

Conflicts may occasionally occur with your supervisor regarding the handling of a case, reporting of information, or the recommendations in the court report. In this case, you should first talk to your supervisor. If you are not able to resolve the complaint, the next step is to talk to the program director.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Conflict of interest, and the appearance of conflicts of interest, should be avoided. If you had any prior non-CASA relationship with anyone involved in a case, you should not accept that case. A CASA volunteer should not be related to any parties involved in the case or be employed in a position or with an agency that might result in a conflict of interest.

ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT

The CASA volunteer will need to report any incident of child abuse or neglect, or any situation in which the CASA volunteer has reason to believe that a child is in imminent danger, to your supervisor and appropriated authorities, following state and legal requirements for mandated reporting.

TRAINING

Training is essential for all volunteers. Not only are you required 30 hours of pre-service training, court observation and case shadowing, a CASA volunteer is also required to attend 12 hours per year of in-service training. In-service training enables you to stay current with changes in the court system and social services. The CASA office staff will provide opportunities to receive the necessary in-service training. In addition to these opportunities, you can count any other related training sessions or seminars, such as the Kentucky CASA Conference.

CASE ASSIGNMENT

Case log and notes are very important. Please make entries in your notebook whenever you work on a case (don’t be tempted to wait to take notes – it is easy to forget details). Comprise a total of hours spent on a case and log them in the monthly reporting form and turn in to your supervisor each month. All notes from your case must be turned into the CASA office when your case is closed.

COURT REPORTS

Court reports must be written and distributed to all parties Monday at 11:00 am prior to the Wednesday court date. Please contact your supervisor to go over the report and all recommendations. Keep in mind that if a clearly written, concise report is not available then the judge will not be able to take all you’ve learned into consideration. CASA staff will not alter your report or your recommendations without your knowledge and agreement. Be sure to follow the court report format provided by this program.

COURT ATTENDANCE

Court attendance by you is always best for the child. If you can not attend court, be sure to let your supervisor know and make sure that your supervisor knows what you want the court to know.

DRESS

Dress must be professional for court. Dress in the CASA office and most other offices you will visit are normally business-casual. Volunteers should be dressed appropriately when visiting the child or family. Volunteers should not wear clothes that are revealing or offensive.

SAFETY

Safety of volunteers is paramount. If you are concerned about making a visit, talk to your supervisor. Take your supervisor with you if you are nervous. If you feel threatened at any time, leave immediately. You are not required to share your home telephone number. Many volunteers give their cell phone number or the number of the CASA office to anyone who might need to reach them.

VISITS AND CONTACTS

Visits and contacts should occur regularly. Contact must occur at least monthly preferably weekly in order for you to ascertain that the children are in a safe environment. Be sure to record all contacts, since it will be the basis for your monthly reporting form and your court report.

Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities

The CASA Program for BullittCounty relies on volunteers to carry out our mission of advocating for abused and neglected children that are in the court system. Most important is the CASA volunteer’s role in ensuring that all decisions regarding the child are in their best interest. A CASA volunteer’s roles and responsibilities include the following:

  • Obtain first hand a clear understanding of the needs and situation of the child by reviewing all relevant documents and records and interviewing the child, parents, social workers, teachers and other persons to determine the facts and circumstances of the child’s situation.
  • Identify and advocate for the best interest of the child.
  • Seek cooperative solutions by acting as a facilitator among parties.
  • Provide at every hearing reports which include findings and recommendations.
  • Appear at all hearings to advocate for the child’s best interests.
  • Have regular and sufficient in person contact with the child to ensure in depth knowledge of the case and make fact-based recommendations to the court. You should meet with the child at least once a month, preferably once a week. An exception may be granted at the discretion of program staff; however, the justification and reasons for a decision to permit less frequent in-person contact must be documented.
  • Make recommendations for specific appropriate services for the child and, when appropriate, the child’s family.
  • Determine if a permanent plan has been created for the child.
  • Monitor implementation of service plans and court orders assuring that review hearings are held in accordance with the law.
  • Inform the court promptly of important developments in the case through appropriate means as determined by court rules or statue.
  • Advocate for the child’s best interest in the community by interfacing with mental health, educational and other community systems to assure that the child’s needs in these area are met.
  • Participate in all scheduled case conferences with supervisory staff.
  • Participate in in-service training.
  • Maintain complete records about the case, including appointments, interviews and information gathered about the child and the child’s life circumstances.
  • Return case files to the program after the case is closed.

CASA Guidelines

Contact with Children

  1. Visit and/or contact with child must occur at least monthly, although, weekly is preferred.
  2. Donot take the child home with you. Never have a child with your overnight. NEVER TRANSPORT THE CHILD.
  1. Ask if the children have questions and answer them honestly with facts.
  2. Do not probe or introduce the specifics of the case. Be especially careful when discussing issues in sexual abuse and other potential criminal cases.
  3. Explain your role as a CASA volunteer in words children can understand. Communicate in a manner appropriate for their age and developmental level.
  4. Explain to children why they were removed from their home and keep them informed about case events, when age appropriate.
  5. Explain confidentiality. Tell the children that you may be asked to tell what they tell you. If they are adolescents, tell them exactly what information you will share. Do not make a promise that you will not tell something if it may be relevant to the case.
  1. Visit the child prior to the court hearing. Explain what will happen and explore the child’s current reactions and feelings regarding the upcoming hearing. Do not try to predict what the judge will decide.
  1. Let the child know that it is okay to have unpleasant or negative feelings.
  2. Respect the child’s attachment to his/her parents. Remain neutral and non-judgmental about their parents. Do not express your opinion of the parents even if asked.
  1. Treat children with respect. Don’t talk down to them or criticize them.
  2. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Keep the promises you make.
  3. Tell the children that what happened is not their fault.
  4. Don’t tell the child what you will advocate for until you have the complete picture.
  5. Know that your case will have a beginning, a middle and an end. Plan on being in the child’s life for only a limited time.

CASA Guidelines

Contact with Parents and Family Members

  1. Explain your role as a CASA volunteer clearly to parents and relatives. Tell them that you have been appointed by the court and that you are a volunteer. Explain confidentiality and tell them that you will gather information about the case and then report facts and make recommendations to the court. Do your best to develop good working relationships and to remain neutral. A CASA volunteer is to help both parents and serve the best interest of the children. The parent’s attorney may not want you to contact them without first contacting him/her. Respect this. The parent’s attorney can be very helpful; however, discuss this with your supervisor prior to contacting him/her.
  1. Focus on obtaining information. Find the strengths of the parents and family members. Find the needs of the family. Strive to be non-judgmental.
  1. Listen carefully and with respect.
  1. Respond to questions. When you do not know the answer, say you do not. If the question is about their legal action, encourage them to contact their attorney. If the question is about services, encourage them to contact their Cabinet caseworker. Ask your supervisor if you do not know how to answer a question.
  1. Let the parents and family members know you are aware that stress can come from being in certain situations.
  1. Avoid leading questions and making emotional remarks.
  2. Begin with general, open-ended questions such as, “Tell me about…” Use closed questions that can be answered with a yes or no if you need specific information or if you are not receiving responses to more general questions.
  1. Be aware of your own attitudes and behaviors, then try to understand their attitudes and behaviors.
  1. Be clear about what is to occur next. Consult your supervisor for help in planning your work as a CASA volunteer.
  1. Carefully document facts you obtained and your observations, actions, questions, or plans. Use objective statements that describe a specific fact or behavior. Do not make interpretations, diagnostic conclusions or judgments. Do so as soon as possible after the visit.
  1. Document the time, date, place and duration of your visit.
  1. File your notes and any records you obtain in your file and remember to update your supervisor at least bi-weekly.

Same guidelines apply when contacting the foster parents except do not share the information you are gathering form other sources with the foster family.

CASA Guidelines

Contact with Other Parties Involved

  1. When first contacting someone else involved in the case, introduce yourself as the CASA volunteer. If the person/agency is unfamiliar with the CASA Program, explain the role of the CASA volunteer. In explaining your role, you may always refer to the mission statement that was provided to you in training class. Provide a copy of the court order appointing you to the case, if necessary.
  1. If the Cabinet for Health & Family Services has a file on your assigned case, you may view that file but can not make any copies (take all the notes you want). Ask your supervisor for help on obtaining files from mental health professionals.
  1. Document all contacts and conversations by writing down the date, type of contact, agency and individual names. Document the facts shared and observations.
  1. Maintain confidentiality. With contacts other than the Cabinet or the Guardian Ad Litem (GAL), limit information you share to that necessary to state your request for information. Contact the GAL prior to the court hearing to update them and to get information they may have.
  1. Consider the needs and schedule of the other party. Be brief. State the reason you are contacting them. Arrange visits in advance. Be mindful that while you have only one or two cases, most of those you work with will have many.
  1. Watch for opportunities to express appreciation and praise and do so.
  1. Listen carefully. Affirm that you have heard what was said. Summarize or paraphrase significant statements then ask if you understood incorrectly. If strong emotions are expressed, acknowledge them. If there is conflict, avoid escalating it. Talk with your supervisor if there is an unresolved problem. Remember that while you may deal with these parties only on an occasion, the CASA office staff must work with these parties on a daily basis; therefore, do what you can to keep a good working relationship.
  1. If you learn significant new information, share it with the caseworker and the GAL as soon as possible. Don’t assume that everyone else knows something. Again, remember to update your supervisor with this new information, as well.
  1. Attend appropriate interagency meetings regarding the child including case conferences and talk to everyone involved prior to any court appearances.
  1. Contact your supervisor or the Cabinet social worker to find out the availability of needed services.
  1. Contact the Cabinet social worker and your supervisor if you are concerned about a child’s placement.
  1. Remember that patience is a virtue. In the words of a National CASA conference speaker, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not get bent out of shape.” Persistence, appropriately expressed, is also a virtue.
  1. Report new allegations of abuse or neglect to your supervisor and Cabinet social worker.

Exception for Monthly Visit

The CASA volunteer shall meet in-person with the child at least once a month; although, weekly contact is preferred. An exception may be granted at the discretion of program staff; however the justification and reasons for a decision to permit less frequent in-person contact must be documented as to the justification and reasonableness of the exception.

Exception Form for Exceeding the Two Case Limit 11026

A volunteer will not be assigned more than two cases at a time. An exception may be granted in the discretion of your supervisor; however, the decision to permit a higher caseload will be documented as to the justification for and reasonableness of the exception. Under the exception, a volunteer WILL NOT be assigned to more than five cases.

Policy on Volunteers Transporting Children 11026

As a CASA volunteer, you have direct and sufficient contact with a child to carry out an independentand valid investigation of the child’s circumstances, including the child’s needs and wishes, so as tobe able to make sound, thorough, and objective recommendations in the child’s best interest. This contact should occur in person to provide you with firsthand knowledge of the child and his/her unique personality, abilities and needs. While social contact is permitted with the child to develop trust and a meaningful relationship, you function as an objective advocate for thechild and not as the child’s attorney, social worker, counselor or parental figure. You do not provide direct services to the child, such as supervising visitation; however, it is appropriate for you to observe visitation. Under no circumstances, shall you transport the child in your vehicle, take the child into your home, provide shelter for the child, or take the child on an outing alone or overnight.