Fort Bend Junior Service League (FBJSL) members recently presented a check for a portion of the proceeds of their recent Sugar Plum Market to Child Advocates of Fort Bend. The agency actively recruits and trains volunteers to serve in its Children’s Advocacy Center and as CASA Advocates who are appointed as Guardians ad Litem for foster youth. All CASA volunteers must complete 30 hours of pre-service training prior to being assigned to a child’s case and 12 hours of continuing education annually and 16 hours to serve as a CAC volunteer where they welcome children and families into the Center when they arrive for forensic interviews, therapy or clinical family advocacy services. The funds will support various training courses for volunteers throughout the year, including tools to meet credentialing requirements for advocates. Funds will also be used to provide children and youth in foster care with Learning Boxes focusing on education; enrichment and interactive activities that include STEAM exercises; and LifeSkills Training Kits for teens in care. During remote learning and social isolation over the past two years due to Covid, children in foster care experienced severe academic gaps and emotional trauma, coupled with higher incidences of abuse and neglect. Funds will be directed to targeted activities, resources and learning tools to close these gaps and increase connections and engagement with these children. In addition, funds will be used to increase awareness of child abuse with safety messaging cards and abuse prevention outreach and communication to reach 10,000 children, educators and parents.
“Last year, we served nearly 4000 children and families who were victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect, the largest number since we opened our doors 30 years ago. The incidence of abuse has increased as well as the severity. It is critical that we respond immediately and comprehensively with trauma-based services for children and trauma-training for our volunteers so they can best serve these children. Prevention and early intervention will be at the forefront of our work so that no child need suffer the horrific impact of abuse or neglect,” said Ruthanne Mefford, CEO.
These targeted programs were developed to enhance educational, social and health advocacy practices for children ages 6-13 in foster care (NEST) and to prepare foster youth 14-18 (WINGS) for independent living after they “age out” of the foster care system. This programming helps ensure that these youth have a greater chance of overcoming the negative impacts of trauma from childhood abuse or neglect as well as benefit from interactive, personalized learning experiences that help build educational success and self-esteem and, ultimately, lead to self-reliance. Youth complete their Learning Boxes and LifeSkills Training Kits assisted by CASA staff. Children and youth receive incentive rewards for completing the kits. This programming has contributed to positive outcomes including reducing drop-out rates and fostering grade progression and graduation. A measure of success has been an increase in high school graduations for children in foster care. Over the past few five years, 100% of high school seniors in the WINGS program have consistently graduated from high school, a remarkable achievement when so many hurdles stand in the way of achieving this milestone for these youth. The program is now having a longer-term impact with the first few graduates from college and trade school. The WINGS program has been a key factor in changing outcomes for these youth. These programs are a model for other programs across the state of Texas.
Funds from FBJSL will allow Child Advocates of Fort Bend (CAFB) to continue to recruit and train volunteers and provide critical, transformative services to abused and neglected children in its CASA program. CAFB’s goal is to break the cycle of abuse and neglect for Fort Bend’s children in foster care and build an overall stronger thriving community.
Shown accepting the check are Child Advocates of Fort Bend CEO Ruthanne Mefford and Grant Writer Jenetha Jones.