Every child should have a safe, permanent home, but many do not. In Georgia, approximately 14,500 children at any one time are entangled in the juvenile justice and foster care systems because they are victims of abuse or neglect.  Often these children also become victims of the overburdened child welfare system - a complex legal network of lawyers, social workers, and judges who are too frequently overworked to give thorough, detailed attention to each child. They can get "lost" for months and even years

 

In 1976, Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, Washington, observed this problem in the courtroom as well as a lack of sound information upon which to base decisions about a child’s future. He raised funding to recruit and train community volunteers to obtain information and speak on behalf of children in court. In 1977, a CASA pilot program was formed based on Judge Soukup’s idea. In 1982, the National CASA Association was established to direct CASA’s emerging national presence.