CASA Youth Advocates, Inc.

Champions Support, Fight and Win. Together, We’re Champions. CASA champions abused and neglected young people in our region's heavily burdened child welfare system. Filled with well-meaning individuals and organizations, this system takes on thousands of young people throughout Delaware and Chester counties each year. It is massive, complex and stretched to its limit. Children or youths assigned to it have already suffered unspeakable pain, and they stand a good chance of experiencing even deeper trauma and getting "lost" in ways that jeopardize their lives. Enter CASA. Our name means Court Appointed Special Advocate. Judges charge our volunteers to watch over a child or youth between birth and age 21 from the moment they appear before a court. Against a backdrop of hope and despair, our volunteers – members of the community just like you – journey with these young people, giving them a voice and stewarding their future. I am for the child. This maxim gets at the heart of our mission and work: * We serve as that single, stable adult that a young person needs through every step of their case. We are that trusted pillar and confidant on their path. We alleviate their fear, confusion and overwhelm while listening to their sadness. * We observe and copiously document the web of relationships, circumstances and services that impact the child or youth as they move through the system. * We advocate for the young person based on what we observe. Our reports become a linchpin that provides context and perspective on a child or youth’s circumstances. * We champion. We make sure that a child or youth's future includes a stable, safe home and what they need to grow and flourish. Due to our unique role, CASA dramatically impacts the system and the youth who navigate it.