I talk to myself. Sometimes it’s out loud:
Sometimes it’s inside my head.
My five-year-old nephew Oscar talks to himself too. I’ve noticed the childlike vulnerability in what he says aloud. In the past few months, I’ve heard him say:
Listening to Oscar’s self-messages got me thinking: I wonder what children in foster care say to themselves, either aloud or inside their heads.
Stop. Think for a minute. Wonder. What self-messages might children in foster care play on repeat?
It’s a grave mistake to assume that removing a child from an abusive situation fixes everything. Foster care causes trauma too. Children leave behind everything that is familiar. They are often separated from siblings. They often change foster homes and schools and therapists. In fact, children in foster care live in complete uncertainty, with no control over what happens next.
For these reasons, each child is surrounded by a team of professionals working diligently to ensure their well-being. Those people include the judge, the child’s attorney, and the foster care caseworker. Sometimes, however, these professionals request the support of a community member to serve as a court appointed special advocate, or CASA, for the child.
CASAs are well-trained volunteers supervised by a staff person who do their best work when they have a posture of wonder. They ask questions like:
CASA volunteers aren’t the only people who need to be curious. We all do. Let’s start asking ourselves the harder questions, either in our own heads or out loud in the public spaces.
A sense of wonder could change everything for hurting families and children. I wonder what you can do?
This story is featured in the Fall 2024 edition of CASA Connect, CASA of Kent County’s quarterly newsletter. Click here to view a pdf version of this newsletter.
The CASA of Kent County team had the privilege of attending Reunification Day, an annual celebration hosted by West Michigan Partnership for Children (WMPC), at John Ball Zoo.
CASA of Kent County’s executive director, Stephanie, recently had the honor of presenting at Pediatric Grand Rounds hosted by Corewell Health.
Since opening its doors in the Greater Grand Rapids community in 1996, Express Employment Professionals has operated with a deep belief: that a good job is about more than just a paycheck. It’s about purpose, connection, and the opportunity to grow.
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