Child Advocacy Center: Providing Advocacy and Justice for Children in the Concho Valley

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS – In December of 2016, LIVE! reported on a support group in San Angelo where grandparents raising kin could take a day out of their week to come together and lift one another up. However, grandparents are not the only ones raising kin. There are many relatives who must take on a parenting role, including strangers who foster children until they are adopted. Here in San Angelo, the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) works to help children whom, for some reason, need to relocate to a different housing situation.

As highlighted in LIVE’s previous article, the United States has seen an increase in the number of grandparents raising grandchildren in recent years. In a “Generations United” census, 1 in 10 grandparents live with their grandchildren. Here in San Angelo, CAC provides two main programs to local children and families: Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and Family Enrichment Services (FES). Locally, there are a total of 102 families in FES and 312 children in the CASA program. Out of the 312 children enrolled in the CASA program, 73 are currently placed with biological grandparents.

“When home is no longer safe for a child, and the child must enter the foster care system, a judge may appoint a committed volunteer called a CASA or Court Appointed Special Advocate. The volunteer’s focus is on the child, providing hope and help in guiding the child to a safe, permanent home,” reads a description for the CASA program provided by the CAC.

Leann Hubert Forbes, director of Marketing Services for CAC, explained that the mission for CASA “is to ensure every child in the child welfare system has a caring and compassionate CASA volunteer to represent them. CASA has been in San Angelo since 1987. The program’s volunteers are “from all walks of life, ages, and ethnic groups,” and are trained to act as court-appointed advocates for children involved in the judicial process.

The Family Enrichment Services program reiterates that parenting  “is not easy,” and, from time to time, help is needed. The FES program also helps “build stronger families with its free services.”  For anyone searching for parenting tips or guidance, the FES program has a Parent Mentor Program that works with families once a week to help with their unique needs. A mentor is provided to them to help along the way. This program is unique in that it's designed for “caregivers of children 0-17 years old or families expecting their first child.” 

Additionally, the FES program offers a Circle of Parents. Circle of Parents is a weekly support group led by “trained facilitators or parents” who “engage in open conversation.” Programs within the FES program are available to families residing not only in the Tom Green County, but also Concho and Runnels County.

Forbes said, “[CAC] is the heart of the community, and we provide advocacy, justice, prevention, resources and healing for every child and every family so they can move forward and get back to life.”

For more information on what the Child Advocacy Center can offer, please visit http://www.cactomgreen.org/, or call 325-653-4673.