Volunteer Advocate

On any given day, there are over 1500 children in foster care in the City of St. Louis . These children enter foster care because they have been abused, neglected, abandoned or cannot live at home. Sadly sometimes the child welfare system that is designed to protect children becomes so complicated and overburdened that the voice of the child, and what's best for that child, gets lost. This is where Voices for Children volunteer advocates come in.

What does a Voices for Children Volunteer Advocate do?

After being appointed by a Juvenile Court Judge as a volunteer advocate, our volunteers work on behalf of abused and neglected children to represent what is in the child's best interest. These volunteers act as a communications link between the child and the juvenile court system. Volunteers meet regularly with the child to establish rapport and learn what the child needs. The volunteer also meets with everyone involved in the child's case including the foster parents, caseworker, relatives, teachers, therapists, attorneys, and doctors. Their goal is to gather information that they can use to make important assessments and report back to the judge, recommending what's best for the child's future.

Using the information he or she has gathered, the volunteer advocate aids the court in understanding as fully as possible the circumstances of a child's life in foster care.  In this way the judge can make the most informed decision about what is best for each child. The goal of the volunteer's work for the child is to move the process along, holding the system accountable so the child does not languish in the foster care system. Recommendations may include where the child will live, visitation with the parents, ensuring sibling visits, therapy, or educational assessments.

One Voices for Children Volunteer Advocate/One Family

Children are often represented by a Volunteer Advocate from the first day they enter court and after that on a continuous basis, a philosophy that ensures that each child's needs are individually assessed and addressed with appropriate services. This is a complex task, since the judge assigns our volunteers to the most difficult cases where we can have the biggest impact. Case outcomes may include successful rehabilitation of parents and return home, termination of parental rights, adoption, or custody to a relative.

What kind of experience do you need to become a Voices for Children Volunteer Advocate?

Voices for Children volunteers come from all walks of life. They have a variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds. No special experience is required. Volunteers are selected on the basis of their objectivity, competence and commitment to children and their needs. Once a community member makes the decision to become a Voices for Children volunteer advocate, he/she undergoes a screening process which includes an application, personal and employer references, a Child Abuse or Neglect/Criminal Record Check, Adult Arrest Record Check and personal interview. Once accepted, volunteers are trained by the Voices for Children staff and community experts. They learn about courtroom procedure, the social service and juvenile court systems, and the special needs of children who have been abused and neglected. Once assigned to a child, they work closely with their own attorney supervisor who supports their work and is always available for advice and counsel.

It takes about 10 to 15 hours a month to be a Voices for Children volunteer advocate. It's hard work and very gratifying. It's not for everyone. But if you want to make a significant difference in a child's life, this may be what you're looking for. We encourage you to review the Volunteer Advocate Job Description. However, if you are unable to serve as a volunteer advocate and are looking for other ways to get involved with Voices for Children, then explore our Volunteer opportunities.

Still interested? Click here .