Court volunteers give children a voice

Posted: Thursday, April 7, 2011 10:41 am
By Bill Stanczykiewicz
Warrick Publishing, Indiana

A serious problem is rising for vulnerable Hoosier children, but so is the opportunity to help.

The child abuse and neglect rate in Indiana increased 24 percent in one year to 15.6 confirmed cases per 1,000 children under the age of 18. In most cases, parents are the perpetrators - meaning most victimized children cannot rely on their primary caregivers as the case goes to court.

Indiana law requires adult representation of all abused and neglected children in court and the child welfare system. Professional attorneys can provide this assistance, as can volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

CASA volunteers gather information about the child and the case, draft written recommendations in the best interest of the child, and then advocate for the child in court hearings and child welfare meetings. FULL STORY

Their comment section wouldn't post my comment (probably because of the links)-

There is a glaring contradiction here. The title says "give children a voice" and the text says "child's best interest".

Those are two entirely different things. To quote Hillary Clinton - "Best interests operates as an empty vessel into which adult perceptions and prejudices are poured." --Hillary Rodham, Children Under the Law, 43 Harv. Ed. Rev. 487, 513 (1973).

Also see my Editorial- Best interest of the child- A new "Civil Right"- http://familyrights.us/news/archive/2009/oct/best_interest.html