June is Reunification month in the foster care world. Here at CASA, we are always mindful that it is
almost always better for a child to be reunited with their family of origin if we can safely do so. Before
my time on staff, I was an advocate and one case that I was assigned to involved a sibling group.
Because the mom worked her case plan and also the obvious connection she exhibited when she visited
with her children, we happily recommended reunification. That was a wonderful day for both the mom
and her children. Several other cases have recently closed with reunification and the advocates on those
cases express relief and joy that the parents were able to complete their case plan and have custody of
their children again. The following article explains in further detail reunification efforts when it comes to
children in foster care.
Click the Headline above to read about the benefits of a child reunifying with biological parents.

The sun is out, the temperature gauge is on the rise, and school is out. Sweet summertime is finally here. That means that it is time to get outside and get playing. Whether that is going hiking, fishing, or camping many families tend to use this time away from school to enjoy family time. Living in South Louisiana that usually includes some form of water sport since it gets so hot. Just a few safety reminders as we move into my favorite time of year.
HYDRATE- If you are outside you need to have some type of hydration. The more active you are, the more hydration you will need. We are encouraged to drink 8-10 cups of water daily. We can also eat water-rich foods to help in hydration such as peaches, oranges, grapes, strawberries, cucumbers and melons. If you will be outside for an extended period of time make sure to have a refillable water bottle and somewhere to fill it or extra bottles of water. In addition to hydration, you want to protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. Do this by wearing long-sleeved shirts or by utilizing sunscreen. Just make sure to use a minimum SPF of 30 or higher. Remember to reapply every two hours to continue to protect your skin. Finally, protect your family. Be mindful of your surroundings at all times, especially around the water. It takes only a few seconds for a fun outing to turn tragic.

For more summertime safety tips click the article title for the link to the American Red Cross.

The world our children are growing up in differs vastly from the one adults experience. Issues like sexual predators, addictive features, suicide, eating disorders, unrealistic beauty standards, and bullying are now everyday challenges, easily accessible through digital platforms.

On January 31, 2024, Meta’s founders and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, addressed a room of grieving parents, acknowledging the tragic consequences of social media pressures on their children. Increasingly, CEOs of major social media companies, including Meta, TikTok, and others, find themselves testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee as concerns mount over the impact of social media on young lives. Each day brings new studies highlighting the detrimental effects of social media on children's mental health.

Even in nurturing environments, children are vulnerable to negative mental health outcomes due to social media's influence. However, those in foster care face even greater risks, often struggling with impulse control and a strong desire for connection and belonging. "Keeping Children Safe Online," delves into these dangers and offers guidance for parents and caregivers on protecting children from online threats.

It's impractical to completely shield today's children from social media, given their familiarity and adeptness with technology. Instead, fostering a supportive environment where trust and open communication thrive is crucial. This allows adults to monitor and guide children's online interactions, ensuring their safety and well-being.
Click the title to read the attached artile.

A CASA volunteer may get to a comfortable place when the child in foster care that they are advocating for is in a stable situation. There are fewer unknowns and everyone seems to be moving towards permanency. Now that is a sweet spot to be in. But what happens when circumstances change overnight, with little or no explanation? Unfortunately, for some of our CASA children, a stable placement is not always guaranteed. Changing placements and having to form new relationships can be hard. This change not only affects the child; it also affects the advocates. They are required to contact new foster parents, possibly new school officials, and/or new service providers to obtain needed information. This may cause anxiety and some hesitation because the advocates have no idea what personalities they will encounter. Will they be flexible or chatty? Will they want more information that an advocate is allowed to share?  And the big question would be how to connect with new individuals.

Remember foster parents and other service providers can also feel like they are under a microscope. Building relationships are key to obtaining information. As I always say, advocates are information gatherers, not givers; but that doesn't mean we can't have positive working relationships with those who are providing a service to our CASA child/ren. Click the article title to view.

We encourage our CASA volunteers who are advocating for any child from birth to five years old to familiarize themselves with child developmental milestones to make recommendations for appropriate resources or interventions for the child. This blog outlines a summary of development milestones with a link to a more in-depth explanation of each milestone.

The brain is so fascinating and complex. It is the core of who we are and controls how we feel, how we think, and every aspect of our lives. The brain has been described as the most complex structure in the known universe. Learning to control your thoughts and process your emotions are skills that are not easily accomplished. These skills are even more difficult to accomplish with an ADHD brain. We know the children we work with have to deal with many triggers that can affect their emotions. Anger is an emotion we see and may manifest in other ways. The following article helps explain how the ADHD brain works and gives tips on how to learn to control anger in a healthier way.

Take a moment to think about growing up and the siblings you shared your childhood with. Even if you were an only child, you probably grew up with cousins that you were close to. Now imagine them gone from your life in the blink of an eye. For many foster youth with siblings, this is their reality. When children enter the foster system, they suffer traumatic loss including separation from siblings.

Part of the concern for our Advocates should be how to maintain sibling relationships, especially if they are in different placements. Some things to consider are advocating for regular sibling visits and even inquiring as to the possibility of placing siblings together. This may be accomplished by working with DCFS caseworkers and
caregivers of the foster children. Maintaining sibling ties is vital to the well-being of the children.

We probably all know people, either at work or in our personal lives, who are really good listeners. No matter what kind of situation we're in, they always seem to know just what to say – and how to say it – so that we're not offended or upset. They're caring and considerate, and even if they don't find a solution to our problem, we usually leave feeling more hopeful and optimistic. Growing up it was considered those people had "good people skills".

People like this are now considered to have a high degree of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence, sometimes referred to as EI or EQ, is the ability to recognize, interpret, and regulate your own emotions, as well as those of other people. They know themselves very well, and they're also able to sense the emotional needs of others.

We all have different personalities, different wants and needs, and different ways of showing our emotions. Navigating through this takes tact and cleverness. Your EI skills are abilities that allow for better emotional understanding and management. Some experts even suggest that EI might be more important than IQ, or intellectual intelligence.

As a CASA volunteer, EI plays a big part of advocacy. The advocate must be aware of their own emotions within the case, know their personal triggers, but also be able to read and understand the child(rens) emotions. Also, while gathering information and communicating with all of the parties involved, they must be able to process the emotions of the party. In a CINC case, there may be a lot of different and high emotions involved. To have the ability to try to understand the traumatic emotions and where they could be coming from, can be critical.

The good news is, that you are able to develop your emotional intelligence just as you would your intellectual intelligence. Attached is an article from verwellmind.com explaining “5 Key Emotional Intelligence Skills” with ways you can improve each skill.

Happy Fall, Pumpkin Spice, and Everything Nice!

Happy October everyone!  Now that the temperatures are in the 90’s we can finally walk outside and enjoy some outdoor activities without it posing health risks, dehydration, and sunburns.

October is my very favorite time of the year because by this time we have a routine going at home, the water activities for the summer have wrapped up, and we can finally start to cook stews or soups along with all of the baking possibilities. October also reminds us that the holidays are upon us, to be specific we have thirty-one days until Halloween, fifty-five days until Thanksgiving, and eighty-five days until Christmas. Although holiday planning can become stressful with all of the school fall activities, trunk-a-treats, and family gatherings, we can agree that we are blessed with the nonsense of  worrying about the small details.

With this in mind, as CASA’s let's be mindful of the children we serve. Many of you are assigned to new cases where foster care is a new journey and adapting to the new environments can be difficult. Some of you may have children whose permanency is still to be determined. I encourage you to talk to your CASA children about what holidays mean to them. Do they have a special memory or is there a new tradition they would like to begin? If you have school-age children become familiar with the activities that the school will be hosting and coordinate with the foster parents to be there to cheer them on or create those activities with them.

Please read Celebrating the Holidays with Foster Youth: Do’s and Don’ts and The Holidays: When Things Get Rough for some insight into what foster children have to say and some suggestions of activities to do with your CASA children.

When kids struggle in school, you may hear the term IEP. What is an IEP? IEP is an acronym that stands for Individualized Education Program. Some people may refer to it as an Individualized Education Plan.

An IEP is more than just a written legal document (or “plan”). It’s a map that lays out the program of special education instruction, support, and services kids need to make progress and thrive in school.

IEPs are covered by special education law, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). They’re created for eligible kids who attend public school, which includes charter schools.

There are many benefits to getting an IEP. The process begins with an evaluation that shows a student’s strengths and challenges. Families and schools use the results to create a program of services and supports tailored to meet the student’s needs.

Having an IEP gives students, families, and schools legal protections, too. It lets families be involved in decisions that impact their child’s education. It also gives students rights when it comes to school discipline.

Read the 8 Benefits of Individualized Education Programs, for Students with Learning Disabilities for a deeper dive.