As child abuse increases amid coronavirus, Fort Worth area group seeks more volunteers
Advocates fear the novel coronavirus’ spread has contributed to an increase of child abuse, and a group that trains volunteers to advocate for children as they move through the child welfare system is urging for additional help.
CASA of Tarrant County is calling for more volunteers to apply to serve as court-appointed special advocates, or CASAs, who advocate for children who have been removed from their parents in cases of abuse or neglect.
Cook Children’s Medical Center saw an increase in cases of severe child abuse in March, and advocates worry cases of suspected abuse and neglect may be going unnoticed with schools closed. Fort Worth police who specialize in crimes committed against children recently opened their fourth such investigation in less than a month — this time, triggered by the death of a 3-year-old boy on Easter Sunday.
CASA of Tarrant County’s CEO Don Binnicker said in a statement Thursday that he worries more volunteers will be needed as cases of abuse increase as the pandemic continues.
“When the COVID-19 crisis broke, we immediately became concerned that this gap would widen, since we feared that the stress of job losses, confinement, and healthcare worries — combined with the loss of the watchful eye of teachers and child care providers — would lead to an increase in child abuse and neglect,” Binnicker said in a news release. “Given the reports coming out of Cook Children’s and the numbers we’re seeing from CPS, it appears that our worst fears are already coming to pass.”
According to CASA of Tarrant County, Child and Protective Services reported 39 removals of children last month compared to 32 in March 2019.
Although CASA of Tarrant County has more than 400 active volunteers, there are still hundreds of kids each year who move through the child welfare system without an assigned advocate, according to the news release.
CASAs are unpaid volunteers who are assigned by Tarrant County courts to review records, conduct visits and ultimately make recommendations on where children should be placed, with the goal of reuniting them with their families if conditions are safe.
CASA of Tarrant County has been training volunteers for more than three decades, and the organization has established virtual information sessions and training for social distancing. Active volunteers have also shifted to video and phone calls to complete virtual visits with foster families for the time being, according to a news release.
The next virtual information sessions are scheduled for noon on April 24, and 6 p.m. on April 30, according to CASA of Tarrant County’s website.
“Participating in a virtual volunteer information session is something positive that people can do right now as they navigate their way through the uncertainty of our current world, or as they cope with unexpected downtime,” Binnicker said.
Before volunteers can be sworn in as court appointed advocates, they go through upwards of 30 hours of training. Once appointed, volunteers are often an extra set of eyes and ears in an overburdened system where cases can range from abuse to newborns testing positive for drugs.
And for those who may not be able to devote time to volunteer as an advocate, Binnicker encouraged they continue to act as a resource, checking in with family, friends and neighbors.
“Kids who have people checking on them on a regular basis are less vulnerable than those who are isolated,” Binnicker said.
Who to call
Report abuse to Texas DFPS by phone at 1-800-252-5400 or online at txabusehotline.org.
ACH Child and Family Services support for families in crisis: 817-335-4673.
