PORT ANGELES — Eleanor Guion sat in the back of a hearing room at Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services on Thursday, waiting for her case to be called.
When an abused or neglected child begins to weave through the maze of courts that decide where and with whom her or she will live, and for how long, the judge appoints a court-appointed special advocate like Guion, 75.
It is Guion’s job to investigate the child’s past, talk with his or her teachers, family members and others, and make recommendations to the Clallam County Juvenile Court commissioner.
It’s not always an uplifting story, or even a story with a happy ending. What counts is that the child has someone there to ensure the court knows the child’s side of the story.
“You feel at least you are trying,” Guion said.
The particular case she is awaiting concerns a girl Guion had been working with for about five years, as long as she’s been with the Clallam County office.
Instead of the story ending with the girl finding a happy home, it ends with her turning 18 and leaving the system all-together.
“Of all the people trying to help a child to no avail, at least somebody tried,” she said.
Seeking volunteers
The CASA office is looking for volunteers to be the eyes and ears of a judge and to make sure the interests of the child get heard.
Currently, the program has about 40 volunteers, but wants to keep at least 60 advocates trained and available, said Genaveve Starr, administrative clerk for the program.
“We try to have every case covered,” she said.
No college degree or advanced training is required. Volunteers have to be at least 21, complete an in-depth interview and pass a criminal background check.
They also must be available on Thursday morning to appear in court, willing to commit for three years and donate at least 10 to 15 hours a month working independently on cases.
For more information on how to become a court-appointed special advocate, call 360-565-2626.