In-Home Services to Strengthen Children and Families
Most children involved with the child welfare system are not separated from their families but instead receive services while living at home. These child welfare "in-home services" are designed to strengthen and stabilize families that come to the attention of child protective services (CPS).
 
This issue brief explores effective in-home services that are being used to promote safety and help keep children and families together, as well as practical considerations for their implementation. It then presents promising practices used by states and jurisdictions that are working to improve their delivery of in-home services.
147 CASA volunteers served 296 children in September and helped find safe, permanent homes for 24 of those children.
105 children are still waiting for someone to be their voice.
It takes 30 minutes to learn about the difference a CASA can make in a child's life.

Register for a virtual information session so you can be one step closer to changing a child's story.
Recruiter's
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This month, we are happy to share why advocate Kerry Cranford said yes to becoming a voice for a child! Click the hashtag below to hear Kerry's reason for saying yes.
"When you connect to the heart of a child, everything is possible."
Dr. Karen Purvis
Child.tcu.edu
Visits with our CASA children are one of the most important jobs for a CASA Volunteer

















Our CASA kids are why we do this work so we want to ensure that the CASA child visit is child-centered. There are many factors that can take away from the purpose of visits, which is to spend time with our CASA children!
Remember to keep your CASA Volunteer file up-to-date with your current
auto insurance card, driver's license, and contact information. 
And remember to visit your CASA child face-to-face at least once a month.
In September, the Children's Advocacy Center provided advocacy and forensic interviews to 39 children.

In the River Region, 16 children and families were provided 14 hours of counseling.


Halloween safety tips
It’s spooky season! Soon enough the kids will be throwing on their costumes and begging to fill their bags with candy. With Halloween right around the corner, it is time to get prepared with these Halloween safety tips!
Trick-or-Treating Basics
Kids under age 12 should:
• always go trick-or-treating with an adult
• know how to call 911 in case they get lost
• know their home phone number or your cellphone number if you don't have a landline
Older kids who go out on their own should:
• know their planned route and when they'll be coming home
• carry a cellphone
• go in a group and stay together
• only go to houses with porch lights on
• know to never go into strangers' homes or cars
For all kids:
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, the risk of kids being hit by a car is higher on Halloween than on any other day of the year. So make sure all kids:
  • walk on sidewalks on lit streets (never through alleys or across lawns)
  • walk from house to house (never run) and always walk facing traffic when walking on roads
  • cross the street at crosswalks and never assume that vehicles will stop
  • give kids flashlights with fresh batteries. Kids may also enjoy wearing glow sticks as bracelets or necklaces.
  • limit trick-or-treating to your neighborhood and the homes of people you know.
When kids get home:
• Help them check all treats to make sure they're sealed. Throw out candy with torn packages or holes in the packages, spoiled items, and any homemade treats that weren't made by someone you know.
• Don't let young children have hard candy or gum that could cause choking.
For more information, please visit: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/halloween.html 

LOVE146: NOT A #NUMBER CAREGIVER TRAINING

This is an introductory training that is geared toward parents and adults who care for or work with youth. Participants will learn how to protect youth and recognize signs of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Some topics that will be covered include:
  • Vulnerabilities
  • Safety planning with youth
  • Healthy relationships
  • Online safety
  • Red flags behaviors

Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] to schedule a training!
Webinars
Brave children tell their stories. Courageous adults help these children through their trauma and assist them in finding a safe future. Buttons of Bravery represent the journey of one child for a year under the care of Child Advocacy Services. 
In 2020, Child Advocacy Services CASA Program served 516 children with 198 volunteers dedicating over 7,564 hours. The CAC Program provided 614 forensic interviews and 457 hours of counseling to children and families.

YOU can help us do more by investing in services for children!
CHILD ADVOCACY SERVICES | CHILDADV.NET