• Since 1993, CASA/Youth Advocates, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, has facilitated judicial review of neglect and abuse cases in order to promote safe, permanent homes for all the children in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.



• The program's target population is the 900 children in the Dependency Court system, speaking for the best interests of these children while promoting quality volunteer representation.

CASA utilizes trained community volunteers to speak up for any child under 18 who was committed to the state as neglected, abused, uncared for, or dependent. Monitoring of the child continues until a permanent placement has been secured. When the ultimate goal is reunification with the family, the CASA volunteer seeks to assure that the expectations detailing exactly what the parents must accomplish are clearly set forth and are being addressed as expeditiously as possible.

The CASA concept is based on the commitment that every child has the right to a safe, permanent home. To prevent children from languishing in foster care for years, the CASA goal is to expedite a permanent placement as quickly as care and safety allow. Dependent children then have a better chance to develop into productive and fulfilled adults.

CASA/Youth Advocates, Inc. seeks to broaden its scope by increasing our number of volunteers whom will advocate for more than 900 children in the Delaware County Dependency Court System.

National CASA believes, and we agree, that every possible step must be taken to ensure that every abused or neglected child receives quality representation from our child protection system. Volunteers should be recognized as a resource for improving that system; volunteers and attorneys must play a significant role in providing CASA representation for children.

The goal is a safe, permanent home for every child.