The CASA volunteer must determine if it is in a child's best interest to stay with his or her parents or guardians, be placed in foster care, or be freed for permanent adoption. The CASA volunteer makes a recommendation on placement to the judge and follows through on the case until it is permanently resolved. To prepare a recommendation, the CASA volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school officials, health providers, and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history. The CASA volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child - school, medical, case worker reports, and other documents. CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational, and ethnic backgrounds.
CASA volunteers are ordinary citizens.
No special or legal background is required. However, volunteers are screened closely for objectivity, competence, and commitment. CASA volunteers undergo a thorough training course conducted by the Lake County CASA program. The course is approximately 25 hours. Volunteers learn about courtroom procedure from the principals in the system - from judges, lawyers, social caseworkers, court personnel, and others.