What It Means When a Child Is Waiting for CASA

A child enters foster care.

 

In a moment, the world as they know it changes. They are already vulnerable simply because they are a child, dependent on the adults around them for safety, security, and love. But somewhere along the way, the people who were supposed to protect them were unable to provide the safe and stable environment every child deserves.

 

Now, they face a world filled with uncertainty.

 

A new home. A new school. New routines. New faces. Caseworkers may change. Therapists may change. Placements may change. Court dates come and go. Decisions are being made that will impact their future, and through it all, they are trying to understand where they belong and what comes next.

 

In the middle of so much change, one thing remains constant: a CASA volunteer.

 

A CASA volunteer shows up again and again. Over time, they build a relationship rooted in trust. They get to know the child as a person, not just a case, by learning their strengths, challenges, needs, and wishes. They listen to what matters most to the child and advocate to ensure their voice is heard and their best interests are represented.

 

Right now, more than 150 children in our community are still waiting for CASA.

 

What Waiting Really Means

 

Children who are waiting for CASA are already involved in the Family or District Court system because of abuse, neglect, or dependency concerns. A judge has recognized the need for a CASA volunteer and appointed CASA to advocate for the child, but due to the number of children in need, a volunteer is not yet available to accept their case.

 

While a child is waiting for a CASA volunteer, CASA staff continue to monitor the case, maintain the child’s case file, and work diligently to get them an advocate. This means recruiting and training new volunteers, identifying current CASA volunteers who may have the capacity to serve another child, and preparing advocates with cases closing to serve another child.

 

There is no replacement for the relationship between a child and their CASA volunteer. A CASA volunteer has the time and opportunity to consistently show up, build trust, and understand the child’s day-to-day experiences, needs, and wishes. As children are matched with CASA volunteers and removed from the waitlist, judges continue to appoint CASA to advocate for more children who need a consistent voice during an uncertain time.

 

The Role of CASA

 

CASA of the Heartland recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who are appointed by judges to advocate for abused and neglected children in Family and District Court.

CASA volunteers:

 

Build relationships. They visit the child regularly, listen, and get to know their strengths, fears, and hopes.

 

Gather information. They talk with caregivers, teachers, therapists, social workers, and others involved in the child’s life to better understand their needs.

 

Advocate in court. They provide reports that identify concerns and recommendations focused on the child’s safety, stability, education, and emotional well-being.

 

Stay consistent. CASA volunteers remain with the case until it closes and the child reaches a safe, permanent home.

 

For a child who has experienced so much change, having one person consistently show up can make all the difference.

Why Children Are Waiting

 

Across Kentucky, CASA programs are seeing increased need while working to recruit and train enough volunteers to meet it.

 

In 2025 alone, CASA of the Heartland served 312 children and trained 38 new volunteers, but the need has continued to grow. When the number of children referred grows faster than the number of available volunteers, a waitlist forms.

 

The children waiting are not waiting because their stories matter less. They are waiting because our community’s capacity has not yet caught up with our community’s need.

Children Behind the Numbers

 

CASA of the Heartland serves children across Hardin, LaRue, Meade, Breckinridge, Grayson, and Hart Counties, including the Fort Knox community.

 

Behind every number is a child with a story.

 

They are infants entering care, elementary students adjusting to new schools, and teenagers wondering what their future holds. They are children from our own communities, and meeting this need takes a community willing to stand with them.

 

Every new CASA volunteer means another child has the opportunity to have a consistent advocate by their side. Every conversation shared about CASA helps bring us closer to our vision of every child in need of an advocate having one.

Awareness Is Advocacy, Too

 

This is not just a request for volunteers. It is a call for awareness and connection.

If this resonates with you:

• Share our mission with friends, coworkers, network, faith communities, etc.
• Invite CASA to speak at your workplace, civic club, school, or congregation.
• Start conversations about the children in our community who need an advocate.

Being a CASA volunteer is not right for everyone, but everyone can help make sure children do not face some of life’s hardest moments alone.

 

To connect with CASA of the Heartland, visit casaheartland.org/contact.

 

A child is waiting for CASA. A child is waiting for you!