Advocates fight for children's voices in court system

During a recent government meeting, Kate Duvall, president and CEO of Piedmont Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), highlighted the critical role her organization plays in addressing child abuse and neglect in Virginia. With the expansion of services to include Madison County as of May 1, Duvall emphasized the urgent need for community involvement in supporting vulnerable children.

Duvall presented alarming statistics regarding child welfare in the state, noting that a child is abused or neglected every 81 minutes, and that children often lack a voice in court proceedings that affect their lives. In the previous year, there were 369 investigated complaints of child abuse and neglect in the CASA service area, which includes Charlottesville, Albemarle, Louisa, Green, Fluvana, and Madison counties. Of these, CASA served 178 children, with 36 founded cases of abuse and neglect reported in Madison County alone.

The organization relies on trained volunteers, known as CASA advocates, who are appointed by juvenile court judges to represent the best interests of children in foster care. These advocates build relationships with the children and their families, ensuring that the children's voices are heard during court hearings. Duvall underscored the importance of this advocacy, particularly as children often do not have the opportunity to speak for themselves in legal settings.

As the meeting concluded, Duvall called on community members to engage with CASA, whether through volunteering or supporting the organization’s mission to protect and advocate for the rights of children in the foster care system.