CASA WITH QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Family Planning Team Conference and MOU - Answer -Purpose: to expedite the court
process for children by sharing information and making recommendations regarding the
following issues: placement, visitation, services, paternity and child support
Essential roles as a CASA volunteer - Answer -Investigation: objectively examine the
situation, including relevant history, environment, relationships, and needs of the child;
done by examining a case file, getting permission from attorneys to speak with
parents/clients, and talking with teachers, counselors, and social workers
-Facilitate: identify resources for the child and facilitate a collaborative relationship
between all parties involved in the case to create a situation in which all of the child's
needs are met; done by connecting the child and caregiver to the appropriate
services/resources
-Monitor: verify the orders of court and CPS plans are carried out, and report to the
court or collaborate with the CPS agency when any party does not follow orders or
plans; done by tracking whether court orders are followed and by noting what needs to
be reported to the court
-Advocate: speak up for the child by making recommendations regarding the child's best
interests in a written court report; done by submitting a court report and talking to the
judge
Specific CASA roles - Answer Independently gathers information about the child's
case, determines the child's needs, explores family and community resources to meet
the child's needs
2 principles of CASA volunteers - Answer 1. Best interest principle: a safe home, a
permanent home, as quickly as possible; you must know the child enough to know their
basic needs, make fact-based recommendations to the court about appropriate
resources to meet those needs, inform the court of the child's wishes, and opine as to
whether the child's wishes are in their best interest
2. Minimum Sufficient Level of Care: A bottom-line standard for a child to remain in a
home; removing a child from home should only occur if parenting falls below MSL
standards
-MSL: factor 1 is child's needs (is the parent providing for the physical, developmental,
and emotional needs at a basic level?); factor 2 is social standards (is the parents'
behavior within or outside commonly accepted practices in our society? What does
discipline look like? How is the child's school attendance? How are the child's health
needs being addressed?); factor 3 is community standards (does the parents' behavior
fall within reasonable limits, given the specific community in which the family resides?
, CASA WITH QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Child Welfare System Process - Answer 1. If child abuse allegations meet
investigative standards AND if the allegations are substantiated AND the child is in
imminent danger, CPS files a petition for dependency
2. If the abuse allegations do not meet investigative standards OR the allegations are
unsubstantiated, refer to community services
-72 HRS AFTER FILING DEPENDENCY PETITION:
---If parents OFFER services, kid must be placed in kinship care, congregate care, or
non-relative foster care and agency monitors case; the shelter care or preliminary
hearing determines whether a child is removed from the home; if yes, fact-finding
hearing; if no, offer services/monitor case; 72 HRS AFTER PETITION FILED
Shelter Care/Preliminary Protective Hearing determines whether a kid is removed
Adjudication/Fact-Finding Hearing investigates allegations
-15 TO 90 DAYS AFTER 1ST HEARING:
---Child remains in care with agency monitoring case; adjudicatory/fact-finding hearing
(are the allegations true?); if yes, dispositional/dependency hearing; if no, offer
services/monitor case/close case
Dispositional/dependency hearing determines if kid is a ward of the state/dependent
-3-30 DAYS AFTER 2ND HEARING:
---If parents are ORDERED into services, concurrent planning usually requires
reunification and another permanency option, a court/review board monitoring every 6
months; if the child is a dependent/ward of the state, permanency planning hearing
occurs
-Permanency Planning Hearing: reunification with parents OR adoption OR
guardianship OR alternative placement (usually foster care or kinship care) 12-18
months after 1st hearing
ICWA Indian Tribe - Answer Tribe takes over jurisdiction, transfers case to tribal court
Best Interest Factors in VIRGINIA - Answer 20-124.3 In determining the best interests
of a child for purposes of determining custody or visitation arrangements, including any
pendente lite orders pursuant to law, the court shall consider the following:
•The age and physical and mental condition of the child, giving due consideration to the
child's changing developmental needs
•The age and physical and mental condition of each parent
ANSWERS
Family Planning Team Conference and MOU - Answer -Purpose: to expedite the court
process for children by sharing information and making recommendations regarding the
following issues: placement, visitation, services, paternity and child support
Essential roles as a CASA volunteer - Answer -Investigation: objectively examine the
situation, including relevant history, environment, relationships, and needs of the child;
done by examining a case file, getting permission from attorneys to speak with
parents/clients, and talking with teachers, counselors, and social workers
-Facilitate: identify resources for the child and facilitate a collaborative relationship
between all parties involved in the case to create a situation in which all of the child's
needs are met; done by connecting the child and caregiver to the appropriate
services/resources
-Monitor: verify the orders of court and CPS plans are carried out, and report to the
court or collaborate with the CPS agency when any party does not follow orders or
plans; done by tracking whether court orders are followed and by noting what needs to
be reported to the court
-Advocate: speak up for the child by making recommendations regarding the child's best
interests in a written court report; done by submitting a court report and talking to the
judge
Specific CASA roles - Answer Independently gathers information about the child's
case, determines the child's needs, explores family and community resources to meet
the child's needs
2 principles of CASA volunteers - Answer 1. Best interest principle: a safe home, a
permanent home, as quickly as possible; you must know the child enough to know their
basic needs, make fact-based recommendations to the court about appropriate
resources to meet those needs, inform the court of the child's wishes, and opine as to
whether the child's wishes are in their best interest
2. Minimum Sufficient Level of Care: A bottom-line standard for a child to remain in a
home; removing a child from home should only occur if parenting falls below MSL
standards
-MSL: factor 1 is child's needs (is the parent providing for the physical, developmental,
and emotional needs at a basic level?); factor 2 is social standards (is the parents'
behavior within or outside commonly accepted practices in our society? What does
discipline look like? How is the child's school attendance? How are the child's health
needs being addressed?); factor 3 is community standards (does the parents' behavior
fall within reasonable limits, given the specific community in which the family resides?
, CASA WITH QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Child Welfare System Process - Answer 1. If child abuse allegations meet
investigative standards AND if the allegations are substantiated AND the child is in
imminent danger, CPS files a petition for dependency
2. If the abuse allegations do not meet investigative standards OR the allegations are
unsubstantiated, refer to community services
-72 HRS AFTER FILING DEPENDENCY PETITION:
---If parents OFFER services, kid must be placed in kinship care, congregate care, or
non-relative foster care and agency monitors case; the shelter care or preliminary
hearing determines whether a child is removed from the home; if yes, fact-finding
hearing; if no, offer services/monitor case; 72 HRS AFTER PETITION FILED
Shelter Care/Preliminary Protective Hearing determines whether a kid is removed
Adjudication/Fact-Finding Hearing investigates allegations
-15 TO 90 DAYS AFTER 1ST HEARING:
---Child remains in care with agency monitoring case; adjudicatory/fact-finding hearing
(are the allegations true?); if yes, dispositional/dependency hearing; if no, offer
services/monitor case/close case
Dispositional/dependency hearing determines if kid is a ward of the state/dependent
-3-30 DAYS AFTER 2ND HEARING:
---If parents are ORDERED into services, concurrent planning usually requires
reunification and another permanency option, a court/review board monitoring every 6
months; if the child is a dependent/ward of the state, permanency planning hearing
occurs
-Permanency Planning Hearing: reunification with parents OR adoption OR
guardianship OR alternative placement (usually foster care or kinship care) 12-18
months after 1st hearing
ICWA Indian Tribe - Answer Tribe takes over jurisdiction, transfers case to tribal court
Best Interest Factors in VIRGINIA - Answer 20-124.3 In determining the best interests
of a child for purposes of determining custody or visitation arrangements, including any
pendente lite orders pursuant to law, the court shall consider the following:
•The age and physical and mental condition of the child, giving due consideration to the
child's changing developmental needs
•The age and physical and mental condition of each parent
