Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, loving, and permanent home. Yet thousands of children across Illinois experience abuse or neglect each year, and many enter the foster care system without a consistent adult solely focused on their best interests.
With just 5-15 volunteer hours per month, your time has the power to Change a Child's Story.™
A Volunteer's Impact
We believe that every child deserves a safe, permanent, and nurturing home. Unfortunately, thousands of youth in Illinois enter the child welfare system each year due to abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers help ensure that these children have their voice and best interests protected while they navigate the court and child welfare systems. The Juvenile Court Act (705 ILCS 405/2-17.1) authorizes local judges to appoint trained CASA volunteers to maintain regular contact with children, submit reports to the court, and advocate for each child's best interests and timely permanency. Children who have access to a CASA volunteer are more likely to find a safe and permanent home, more likely to succeed in school, and half as likely to re-enter the child welfare system. Read more about our Data & Reports , or read more about CASA Impact Stories .
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers are everyday people who step forward to become a voice for a child in their community. After receiving comprehensive training, CASA Volunteers are appointed by local judges to advocate for a child's best interests in the courtroom and beyond.
What makes CASA Volunteers unique in the child welfare system, is their singular focus on a child or set of siblings. While attorneys, caseworkers, and other professionals each play vital roles, they often juggle large caseloads and competing priorities. CASA Volunteers are assigned to one case at a time, allowing them to understand the child(ren)'s specific needs. The duties of a CASA Volunteer include: (1) Building a trusted, consistent relationship with a child or set of siblings. (2) Maintaining communication with the adults in a child's life (biological families, teachers, foster families, and professionals). (3) Providing fact-based recommendations directly to the judge handling the child's case.CASA Volunteers do not need any special prior experience with law or child welfare, but are expected to review documents, communicate verbally & in writing, and advocate professionally on behalf of a child. For most local CASA programs, CASA Volunteers must:
(1) Be over 21 years of age. (2) Complete CASA Pre-Service Training. (3) Pass a Background Check. (4) Be willing to commit to the responsibilities of being a CASA Volunteer. Please connect with your local CASA program to find out more about the requirements to become a volunteer.CASA Volunteers report an average of 5-15 hours of volunteer advocacy per month. However, being a CASA Volunteer is a long-term commitment; CASA volunteers commit to advocating for their assigned child or set of siblings until the kids find a safe, permanent and loving home. The average case that is assigned a CASA Volunteer may stay open for 12-18 months, but could be shorter or longer depending on the circumstances.
Generally, being a CASA volunteer is a flexible volunteer opportunity. CASA volunteers coordinate with a child's caretakers to schedule monthly visits, and may also interact with other adults, including teachers, caseworkers, medical staff, and other professionals. In addition to maintaining communication with children, CASA volunteers may also interact with the families of children (including biological families, foster families, and kinship providers).
Illinois CASA's Goal
CASA Volunteers make a lasting difference in the lives of children in our state. Their advocacy improves communication and ensures that children's needs and desires are being recognized in the court system. Right now, local CASA programs are serving 87 of the 102 Illinois Counties. Your local CASA program is ready to give you the training, supervision, and support you need to Change A Child's Story.
Our goal is to ensure that every child has a CASA Volunteer by 2030. Help us advocate for more children in Illinois who have experienced abuse or neglect by taking the next steps to serve children in your community as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.
