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Twenty new Court Appointed Special Advocates were sworn in on Thursday at the Alexandria Circuit Court, joining a volunteer corps that stands up for children navigating the foster care and court systems.
The Hon. Sean A. Sherlock of the Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court administered the oath at the courthouse at 520 King St. The Hon. W. Michael Chick Jr. of the Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court also addressed the class. Both judges told the volunteers they read the CASA reports first when reviewing a new case file, according to Northern Virginia Family Services, which runs the program.
The cohort of 20 is a notably large group to be sworn in at once, NVFS said. The ceremony capped a comprehensive training process — including 39 hours of coursework — that equips volunteers to serve as a steady presence for children who have been removed from their homes due to neglect, abuse or abandonment. Many CASAs balance the advocacy work with full-time jobs.
The timing carried added weight. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month.
Among those at the ceremony was Laura Jameson, NVFS's training and CASA supervisor, who served as a CASA herself before taking on the role of training new advocates.
As part of a nationwide organization, Alexandria/Arlington CASA follows a model in which volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for foster children's best interests, working alongside legal and child welfare professionals, educators, and service providers so judges have the full picture in each case. The program's guiding principle is that children grow and develop best with their family of origin, when that can be safely achieved.
CASA volunteers are often the only adults foster children can trust to remain with them through their entire time in the system, NVFS said, and those lasting relationships help children feel worthy of love.
Since the program began in Alexandria in 1988, its volunteers have advocated for 1,913 children in Alexandria and Arlington, contributed 106,049 hours of service — valued at more than $3.6 million under federal guidelines — and trained 621 advocates, according to NVFS. The CASA program joined NVFS as part of a January 2025 merger with SCAN.
The need remains substantial. Amy Wilker, NVFS's director for Child and Family Wellbeing Services, and Corina Solorzano, director of CASA, have said the program is actively seeking additional volunteers, particularly men and speakers of Spanish and Farsi.
To become a CASA, volunteers must be at least 21, hold a valid driver's license, clear a criminal background check, have computer skills and strong written and oral communication skills, and commit to the program and a foster child for 18 months. Prospective volunteers must attend a one-hour information session before submitting an application.
More information on becoming a CASA, getting assistance or donating is available at nvfs.org/child-family-well-being/casa.
