Casa of San Mateo County

Every year, nearly 800 children in San Mateo County are put under the protection of the Courts because they have been abused, neglected or abandoned. Many are removed from their homes and taken from their neighborhoods and schools to be placed with people they do not know. More than 80% have been exposed to violence at home or in their communities. Research shows that kids in foster care suffer Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at a higher rate than returning combat war veterans, and more than half struggle with mental health challenges stemming from the trauma they've endured. Children whose pasts are marred by abuse and neglect face uncertain futures with higher risks of substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, and unemployment.

The foster care system is meant to be a safe haven, yet the journey to a stable and loving home is frought with frequent upheavals for these children in crisis. Approximately, 15% of children in San Mateo County have had 3 or more home placements in a year and may be transferred between schools as well . All too often, foster children can feel alone in a bureaucratic system that fails to help them access the services they need to heal and to thrive.

How CASA Volunteers Offer Comfort and Hope

CASA's staff recruits, trains and guides volunteers whose vigilance ensures the needs of foster children are not forgotten. Volunteers meet with the children weekly to offer adult companionship, monitor their progress in school, open doors to enrichment opportunities, over see their healthcare needs and intercede when court ordered home placements and family visitations are not meeting expectations. CASA Volunteers keep an open dialog and facilitate information sharing with families, caregivers, social workers, teachers, lawyers, therapists and other welfare professionals. Unfortunately, though a foster child may meet many compassionate and well-intentioned individuals in the system, too often these people come and go in out of their lives. Often, CASA Volunteers are often the only consistent adults who can be a stabilizing force while the child remains under the protection of the Juvenile Court.

A CASA Volunteer is a trusted confidant, mentor and friend. Because of their unique insights and credibility, CASA Volunteers are strong advocates for their children within the child welfare system. Sworn in as Officers of the Court, they attend hearings and submit court reports that enable judges to make informed decisions regarding each child's future. With a CASA Volunteer at this side or her side, a child is no longer just a case number but an individual with unique needs and aspirations.