Children In Placement CT/CASA, Inc. facilitates the effective judicial review of children and families involved in Juvenile Court proceedings where abuse and neglect are alleged, in order to promote a safe permanent home for each child. In many Connecticut Probate Courts, judges appoint CASA volunteers to assist families and children coping with guardianship and custodial issues and to locate needed services. Volunteers assist the kinship caregivers who receiving only $250 annually for providing care for their relative child.

Children In Placement is also present in Probate Court where our Guardians Ad Litem advocate for youth in kinship care by seeking services for the youth and caregiver.

Description:
Children In Placement is Connecticut's CASA program. We are a private, non-profit organization dedicated to helping Connecticut's abused and neglected children find their way through the child welfare and juvenile court systems to safe and permanent homes. We do this by providing the court with specially trained volunteer Guardians Ad Litem and Monitors. These individuals are carefully screened, trained and supervised by local Coordinators. The information gathered by Guardians Ad Litem and Monitors enlightens the court to relevant happenings in child welfare cases which might not otherwise come to the court's attention. Our volunteers carry 1-2 cases where social workers carry a case load of 20-25 and attorneys a caseload of 100-150 thus our volunteers can give the child's case better time and attention. Our volunteers have access to court files, medical, education, and counseling records. Guardian Ad Litem recommendations are considered of great value by Judges in the court because the Guardian Ad Litem is not tied to the state or the Department of Children and Families. Bilingual Guardians Ad Litem are highly sought after by the court, as many of the children or their parents speak no English.

History:
Children In Placement was established in 1979 to see that children get what they deserve - a safe, permanent home - and a chance at a future. Children In Placement has trained more than 1,000 ordinary citizens as volunteers who speak up for children in all 13 Juvenile Courts across Connecticut and many Probate Courts in the state.

Contact people:

Judy Moyer, Hartford Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Karen Hardy-Massaro, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Genese Calloway, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Address:

250 Constitution Plaza, 3rd Floor Hartford, CT 06103 (See a map)

Directions:

CIP's Hartford office is physically located at 250 Constitution Plaza, 3rd Floor (next door to Probate Court) Hartford, 06103.   Nearest Bus Stop: Main Street/Capital Community College, 1 block minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.cttransit.com/