Starting a Case FAQ

You are allowed to communicate with (and should reach out to) all of the associated parties to your youth’s case, as well as important adults in your youth’s life. This includes:

• Biological parents, foster parents,* family members, and legal guardians
• Attorneys for your youth and their biological parents
• Social workers / caseworkers
• Placement staff members
• Teachers, school administrators, and principals
• Therapist, psychiatrist, and mental health professionals
• Doctors, nurses, and medical professionals

When meeting the above individuals, you should have a copy of your Court Appointment Order ready as a reference document in case it is requested. The Court Appointment Order details that you as the CASA have access to highly-confidential material, such as psychiatric and school records.

*Foster parents are not parties to your youth’s case, so they cannot receive information about court hearings or case updates from you as the CASA. If they ask you, please redirect them to DSS.

You should reach out to your supervisor first to discuss the case assignment and the initial relationship-building process. After speaking with your supervisor and reviewing the available documents in Optima, you should reach out to the following people first to introduce yourself:

• Your youth
  
• Your youth’s foster parent or placement staff person
  
• DSS social worker
  
• Your youth's attorney
  

Only reach out to these contacts after you’ve met with your supervisor.

Check in with your supervisor to see whose contacts are already identified for the case. This may be a longer process for a brand-new case, but your supervisor will support you in finding necessary contacts (DSS social worker, attorneys, foster parents or placement staff, etc.). Your supervisor will introduce you over email to many of the above contacts if the CASA program is already in communication with them. Your youth's attorney is also a great resource for finding contact info of foster parents or placement staff, particularly if your youth has moved placements recently.

Your first step is to reach out to the head of the placement (e.g. foster parent, guardian, placement staff) to introduce yourself, learn the schedule of the placement, and offer a few potential times that you can come to the placement in-person. You should also reach out to your youth to introduce yourself and let them know you are planning to visit on a particular day.

If your youth is placed in independent living, you can reach out directly to your youth to introduce yourself and find a time that fits both of your schedules.

Don't forget:

Especially for more structured placements, your youth may unexpectedly be unavailable on the day you chose to visit. This may be related to their emotional stability or behavioral struggles day-of. This is not a reflection on you, so please do not take it personally. Reach out to your youth to let them know you will try again another day.

Exciting! Your first job is to introduce yourself and the role of a CASA. Explain that you are a volunteer working just with them to advocate for their needs in court and otherwise. It is usually helpful to clarify that you are not part of the Department of Social Services (DSS).

Generally, less is more as you start chatting with your youth. Try not to overwhelm them with questions like an interview. Bring a few topics or questions on paper with you. Do not take notes on your phone because it will look like texting. Additionally, do not record your conversation.

Example questions:

• What does your morning look like before school?
• What would be your perfect day, if you could do anything?
• What’s your favorite meal?
• How do you feel about school?
• Do you like where you live?
• What was your favorite part of your day today?

While it is helpful to come prepared, we also suggest showing up to your visits open to having whatever conversation your youth wants to have. This might be conversation focused for a while on fun things like trends they’re seeing online or their favorite movie. Slowly move the conversation to questions about how they’re doing in various parts of their life (school, placement, parents). If your youth clams up or seems uncomfortable, it is okay to change topics and shift to what your youth seems excited by.

Additional question resources:

• Basic List of Questions from Prince George’s County CASA: https://pgcasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/basic-list-question.pdf
• Conversation Starters from CASA of Northwest Arkansas: https://www.nwacasa.org/volunteer/advocate-alley/connecting-with-your-casa-child/conversation-starters/

You are not alone in that feeling! This is a natural worry and a common concern amongst our volunteers. It is normal to feel confused, frustrated, or stuck when you think about how the relationship is developing.

Reminders for you:

• The relationship between you and your youth is unique to other connections you’ve built in mentorship programs, with kids in your network, and with people in your day-to-day life. It will not follow a traditional path.
• Many CASAs unintentionally come into a case with expectations or hopes of how the connection will grow.
  • Your youth may not be talkative or may only reach out when they need something from you. That is okay! You’re meeting a need in their life, still advocating for their needs, and gathering information that’s needed from other parties.
  • If you are feeling disappointed by the connection you’ve built with your youth, remind yourself that you are here to advocate for their best interests regardless of the relationship you have. This relationship is ultimately not about your desires; it is about supporting your youth in the way that makes sense for them.
• Check in with your supervisor about the pace of your relationship-building and talk through any suggestions. Try to process those feelings on your own or with your supervisor, so you’re not bringing your expectations into visits with your youth.

We build trust slowly and with a well of patience. Our youth have a hard time trusting others, with the numbers of adults who regularly come in and out of their lives. Please be patient and allow them to open up at a pace that makes them comfortable, rather than one that only makes you comfortable.

Check out a few reminders:

• Show up to your visits open to having whatever conversation your youth wants to have. This might be conversation focused for a while on what they do for fun. Slowly move the conversation to questions about how they’re doing in various parts of their life (school, placement, parents). If your youth clams up or seems uncomfortable, it is okay to change topics.
• When you’re asking questions, you can occasionally choose to offer some information about yourself in return. This helps build the dynamic between you and your youth. For example, if your youth shares about their idea of a perfect day, you can share some of your ideas.
• Sitting in comfortable silence can be a powerful moment for our introverted youth.
• Ultimately, time and consistency work better than any other trust-building activities we can try. Opening up happens over time, not all at once.

Not for the first few visits. Eventually, you can coordinate an out-of-placement visit with your youth (unless they are in a residential treatment center). For the first few visits, please do not bring any food or gifts for your youth. We always want to be cautious about setting expectations that “my CASA always brings me things!” Additionally, we never want to be seen as bribing our youth for relationship-building. Spend time talking with your youth, playing cards, or walking around their neighborhood.

Please inform your supervisor ahead of time of your outing plans. They will provide guidance to ensure it is an appropriate plan for you and your youth. Additionally, this notice allows us to provide you with funds or a gift card so that you are not required to pay out of pocket.

If an outing is unexpected or you have not received funds by the time of the outing, we can reimburse you after the fact with PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo, or check. Generally volunteers should try to stay within a $50 budget.

We hear you: you don't know this case or your youth well enough yet to write a full and effective report. If you are newly assigned and have a hearing in the next 2 months, no report is needed.

If schedules allow, attend your youth's hearing and get to know the associated parties. That is a great way to become familiar with the case early on.