Bergen County Court Appointed Special Advocates (BCCASA), Inc. offers a spring training series of classes, for volunteers who seek to help children in foster care, starting April 14.
The mission of Bergen County CASA is to speak up in court for the best interests of the nearly 400 children (annually) in Bergen County who are removed from their homes due to abuse and/or neglect.
BCCASA is an independent, nonprofit organization of professionals and trained volunteers who have been appointed by the Bergen County Family Court to advocate for children removed from their homes. CASA works to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to these children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes.
“Our volunteers speak with everyone involved in their appointed child’s life including caseworkers, medical professionals, therapists, teachers, mentors, biological parents, foster parents and more,” says BCCASA. “Using the information gathered, our advocates prepare a report for family court once every two or three months with recommendations regarding what is in their appointed child’s best interest.”
CASA volunteers stay on their child’s case throughout the court litigation process. They become the one consistent presence in our foster children’s lives.
“This is very important when everything else in their lives is fluctuating; our children may be moving to different homes, attending new schools, speaking to new caseworkers, living with different foster parents and on,” BCCASA says. “Our foster children learn that they can rely upon their CASA as a constant support during this most stressful time in their lives.”
To learn more about volunteering to help Bergen County’s foster children, attend an information session at 1 Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack on March 18.
You can register for either 10 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.
Register to confirm your attendance by emailing lauren@bergencasa.org (Additional times can be arraigned at your convenience if you call the office at (201) 336-7520. There is more information at www.bergencasa.org.
“We are looking forward to meeting you!” said BCCASA.