CASA volunteers also learn effective advocacy techniques for children and are educated about specific topics ranging from child sexual abuse to how to give a report in court. The culmination of the initial training is the swearing-in ceremony with the Juvenile Court Judges. CASA volunteers are appointed to children who are in the Juvenile Court System because of abuse, neglect or dependency. CASA volunteers are not service providers for the child. The CASA volunteer interviews the child if the child is old enough to talk.
CASA volunteers offer the child trust, advocacy and stability during complex legal proceedings.
They explain to the child the events that are happening and the roles of the judge, lawyers and social workers play. There are currently 843 CASA programs covering 49 states. Over 47,100 volunteers served as CASA volunteers for over 183,000 children last year. In Ohio, there are currently 33 counties with CASA programs, including over 1,400 volunteer advocates serving more than 5,500 children in need. Preliminary findings show that the children who have been assigned a CASA volunteer tend to spend less time in the court system and less time within the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation.