Men Urged To Serve As Advocates For Foster Boys In RivCo

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA ? An urgent call for male volunteers in Riverside County was put out Tuesday by the organization Voices for Children, seeking "compassionate and empathetic men" to advocate for children in foster care who may not have a stable male role model.

Men interested in volunteering and becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate were encouraged to visit speakupnow.org/volunteer/.

About 49% of the 5,900 children in foster care annually in Riverside County are boys, but only 17% of CASA advocates are male, according to Voices for Children officials.

In Riverside County, 55 boys are currently waiting for an advocate, and more are entering foster care daily, the organization said. Officials cited a particularly urgent need for men, especially men of color and those who are bilingual in Spanish and English.

Voices for Children trains volunteer CASAs to support youth in foster care as they navigate an often confusing and frightening time in their lives. Often, these children have suffered major abuse and trauma and need good experiences with men who will keep them safe, according to the organization.

CASA volunteers do not require any particular professional background, only a willingness to be trained and show up for their case child.

Unlike social workers who often have dozens of children in their caseloads, CASAs are focused on only one or two children at a time, allowing them to build a trusting relationship and effectively work with social workers, caregivers, attorneys and other professionals.