New advocate Amanda Diaz had no idea the impact her presence would have when she was assigned five siblings—and the effect Art Nights at CASA would have on the kids.
The Department of Children and Family Services could not place all five children together when they were removed from their homes. The two girls were placed in one house, and the three boys were placed in another home. As a result, Amanda had to visit them separately due to logistical reasons.
“At one point after I visited both sets of kids, I realized that the common denominator was that they asked about each other,” said Amanda. “When I visited with the girls, they asked me if I knew their brothers. When I visited the boys, they asked me if I was also their sisters' CASA. It took some time for the children to conceptualize that 1) I was their CASA, 2) I advocated for each of them, and 3) I was not a social worker or their attorney. Once they realized that I visited with their siblings and was their ‘microphone’ for the judge to hear their thoughts about this case, they began to open up to me.”
Amanda, a former paralegal now in law school, realized that she needed to depend on CASA-hosted events for the children to spend time together. The monthly Art Night was an ideal solution because CASA staff would be present to supervise and support the children, allowing them to visit each other outside of their foster homes.
“The children loved Art Night and have told me they do not want to miss any of them. They enjoyed interacting with other children and were so happy to spend time doing a fun activity. The youngest girl (age 5) was so happy when other kids complimented her collage. Those small bits of positive attention meant something to her. For the other children, they liked looking around to see what the other kids were creating. They engaged with other children and took an interest in ideas they would not have otherwise been exposed to.”
Amanda understands how important it is for the siblings to be together. When she was eight years old, she and her brother and sister were removed from their home and separated. “My greatest worry was about whether my siblings were okay. Eventually, we were placed together, and I could look after my siblings as we made our way through the system.”
Amanda is surprised by the impact she is having on the children. Initially, she felt somewhat useless during her visits. However, the kids pulled her into their world. When she shows up at their doors, they jump up and down with excitement. They also share details about her visits with each other. This made her realize that everything she does or says leaves an impression on them and that they share these impressions with each other.
Comments