Eldridge has been a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for almost 10 years, advocating on behalf of children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
06/08/2022 2:00 P.M.
1.5 minute read
Lyn Eldridge, a supervisor/technical writer for CBE Companies Inc., values making a difference in the local community.
Because of that, Eldridge has volunteered as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for almost 10 years.
A CASA is a trained volunteer who advocates on behalf of children who have experienced abuse and neglect, and makes sure the kids aren’t negatively affected by the state system intended to protect them, according to Eldridge.
Appointed by judges, a CASA will stay with each case until the child is placed in a safe, permanent home.
“On any given day there are over 400,000 kids in the foster care system and not nearly enough workers to provide the kind of care and protections each child needs and deserves,” Eldridge said. “The workers I know are amazing and are doing their best with every case, but most of the adults involved in the case have an agenda. They represent the needs of either the state, the mom, or the dad—and that’s not a bad thing. Everyone should be heard in these situations and that’s where a CASA can make a difference.”
CASAs work with the case workers, attorneys and others—who may all have differing opinions or ideas—in order to advocate for what’s in the best interest of the child, Eldridge added. Additionally, CASAs serve as another set of eyes by visiting their kids on a regular basis, which serves two purposes: to be a stable person in that child’s life and to lessen the burden on an overwhelmed system.
“I can’t imagine a time when I won’t volunteer as a CASA,” Eldridge said. “There are just too many kids who need someone to speak up for them.”
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