Evidence of Effectiveness for Children
“CASA volunteers are always prepared and helpful. I have come to place great weight on their recommendations. My wish is to assign a CASA to every case. I have no doubt that it would greatly serve the children coming before us.” Colorado Supreme Court Justice Brian Boatright (former 1st Judicial District Court Judge)
A child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to find a safe, permanent home:
- More likely to be adopted
- Half as likely to re-enter foster care
- Substantially less likely to spend time in long-term foster care
- More likely to have a plan for permanency, especially children of color
Children with CASA volunteers get more help while in the system…
- More services are ordered for the children
…and are more likely to have a consistent, responsible adult presence.
- Volunteers spend significantly more time with the child than a paid guardian ad litem.
Children with CASA volunteers spend less time in foster care…
- Children without CASA involvement are spending an average of over eight months longer in care, compared to children having CASA involvement.
… and are less likely to be bounced home to home.
- CASA volunteers improve representation of children.
- Reduce the time needed by lawyers
- More likely than paid lawyers to file written reports
- For each of 9 duties, judges rated CASA volunteers more highly than attorneys
- Highly effective in having their recommendations adopted by the court
Children with CASA volunteers do better in school…
- More likely to pass all courses
- Less likely to have poor conduct in school
- Less likely to be expelled
… and score better on nine protective factors
- Neighborhood resources
- interested adults
- sense of acceptance
- controls against deviant behavior
- models of conventional behavior
- positive attitude towards the future
- valuing achievement
- ability to work with others
- ability to work out conflicts
Provided by the National CASA Association. View Sources.
Judges and Others Endorse Work of CASA Volunteers