Name of Applicant:
Date of Interview: County:
Interview completed by:
*HAVE APPLICANT COMPLETE BACKGROUND CHECK DOCUMENTS
BEFORE OR AFTER THIS INTERVIEW.*
Explain to applicant: Becoming part of the CASA program is a process. Not all applicants are a good fit for the advocacy work of a CASA. The goal today is to gather information from you to determine if you will be accepted as an applicant to continue with the screening and training process. Because of the requirements of the CASA role, some of the questions I need to ask you are personal in nature. The answers that you give me are confidential, and will only be considered in light of your application to the program. Do you have any questions before we begin?
A. Explanation of Program
1. Describe Program
a. Goal of the CASA
b. Process whereby children come into the court system (petition: CINA)
c. Where and when CASA’s get involved
d. Referral system/kinds of cases.
2. Role of a CASA
a. To advocate for the best interest of the child(ren)
b. NOT a Big sister/brother
c. Eyes and ears of the judge
d. Be objective- report the facts
e. CASA Job Description
B. Review the volunteer commitment with the applicant.
a. Do you have a flexible schedule that will allow you to fulfill the role of a CASA? Yes No
b. Is your employer aware of this volunteer commitment? Yes No
i. If yes, will you be allowed time off for court hearings and other meetings? Yes No
ii. Am I able to contact you at work if needed? Yes No
c. Do you have adequate transportation to get to appointments? Yes No
d. Will you be able to attend all pre-service training requirements? Yes No
e. Is your family aware of your decision to apply to become a CASA? Yes No
i. If yes, what is their reaction?
C. Application review
a. Is everything current and up-to-date on your application? Yes No
This is the time to review any information from the application that the
interviewer has questions about (i.e., criminal history)
1. How did you hear about CASA? From what you know of the program and this volunteer opportunity, what interests you the most about becoming a CASA?
2. Describe skills and personal characteristics that would make you an effective advocate.
3. We take our volunteer commitments very seriously and expect advocates to commit one year to a case. Ideally the advocate will fulfill CASA responsibilities until dismissed by the Court. Talk about your current household, support system, work schedule and other commitments. What changes, if any, do you foresee to your current situation in the next 12-18 months?
4. What things cause you the most stress and how do you manage the stressors in your life?
5. Describe any previous volunteer work you’ve done. When and how long did you volunteer? What did you like most about the experience? What did you like least? What experience, if any, do you have working with children or diverse populations?
6. Our organization is moving towards automation to do our work and communicate with advocates.
a. Do you have access to a computer and internet service? Yes No
b. Describe any experience you have using automated systems to enter data or submit reports. If no experience, what accommodations are needed to assist you in the area of automation?
c. Describe your comfort level with Microsoft Word, typing reports, sending/receiving emails, attaching and opening electronic documents?
7. Describe your writing experience, to include comfort level with writing reports for court, having your writing edited and meeting deadlines? Reports are submitted for each court hearing and will require consultation and editing by the coordinator before the final report is distributed.
8. Tell me about an incident in which you had to interact with difficult people (i.e., angry or verbally abusive). How did you deal with it, and what happened as a result of your response?
9. Tell me about a time when you really wanted to accomplish something and you encountered a roadblock. How did you handle it?
10. CASA is a unique volunteer opportunity. Much of the work is done on your own, although program staff and professionals involved in the case will be working with you. Describe your ideal supervisor. How do you work best?
“Although it may seem we will be asking a lot of personal questions, it is important because you may confront similar issues in your case as an advocate. Remember, the information you share with me in this interview is kept confidential. We are now going to talk about your childhood and growing up family.”
11. Tell me about your childhood and the family you grew up in. For example, were you raised in a two-parent family, with step-parents, a single parent? How many siblings do you have? Describe your relationship with your parents and siblings.
12. What did you learn about parenting and discipline from your own childhood?
13. As a child, did your family ever have contact with the child welfare system,
the juvenile court or adult court? Yes No
a. If yes, please describe the circumstances.
Some of these questions are very personal in nature but please remember that this interview is confidential. We need to know this information for your own protection and for the protection of the program. If you do become a CASA, it will help us in assigning you to a case.
14. Have you ever had any personal experiences with abuse and neglect? Yes No
a. If yes, when did it occur? How did you react at the time? What have you done to process it?
b. Do you feel these experiences are related to you wanting to be a CASA? Yes No
If yes, please explain.
15. Have you ever had any personal experiences with drug/alcohol addiction or
other addictions? Yes No
a. If yes, please describe.
b. Have you ever sought treatment for an addiction? If yes, explain. Yes No
16. Has a report of child abuse or neglect ever been made against you? Yes No
If yes, explain:
17. Each case is unique yet there are common issues that we often see with the families we work with. It is helpful to know if you have knowledge or experience in any of the following areas. Thinking of family and friends, do you have any knowledge of individuals who have experienced:
a. Alcohol or drug abuse Yes No
b. Child abuse or neglect Yes No
c. Developmental disabilities Yes No
d. Diagnosed mental illness Yes No
e. Incarceration Yes No
f. Domestic violence Yes No
Now we’re going to talk about the child welfare system and issues related to the advocacy work of CASAs.
18. Describe your thoughts about child abuse and neglect. Why do you think child abuse occurs? What are your thoughts about parents who abuse or neglect their children?
19. Although you are appointed to advocate for a child/sibling group, you will also interview parents/guardians or other relevant family members. What concerns, if any, do you have with fulfilling this task?
20. If the risk of re-abuse or neglect has been minimized and progress has been made to alleviate the concerns, could you recommend returning the child to the parental home?
Explain position. Yes No
21. If a child told you that he/she wanted to return home and that’s not possible at this time, how might you handle the situation?
“Sometimes the ‘system’ or the ‘bureaucracy’ of the courts can be frustrating. The system moves slowly; it’s not a perfect system; it’s not always scheduled at your convenience. Professionals don’t always return calls/emails as quickly as we’d like. Also, a CASA is not always wanted by the lawyers, social workers, families, and even sometimes by the child.”
22. CASAs make recommendations to the court regarding the best interest of the child.
a. Describe your comfort level with making recommendations for a child and family.
b. How would you handle the situation if your recommendations differed from the professionals involved in the case?
23. From what you know of this volunteer opportunity, what obstacles to you foresee while working with abused and neglected children and their families or with the child welfare system? Describe any accommodations you may need to perform the role of a CASA.
24. What do you hope to gain from your experience as a CASA?
25. Are you interested in continuing with the screening and training process to become
a CASA? Yes No
*** HAVE APPLICANT SIGN BACKGROUND CHECK FORMS ***
POST INTERVIEW EVALUATION
Applicant’s strengths:
Issues or concerns regarding applicant:
Reasons for interviewer concerns:
Child Protective Services history Criminal history
Abuse or neglect history Unresolved personal issues
Prior chemical dependency Other: ______
I felt the need to share my concerns with the Foundations trainer for further observations.
Impression of the applicant in the following areas:
Poor1 / 2 / Average
3 / 4 / Excellent
5 / Unknown
1. Related knowledge and experience.
2. Emotional stability
3. Ability to be supervised but work independently.
4. Sense of commitment and responsibility.
5. Aptitude for CASA work.
Additional Comments:
6 of 6
Updated: 12/9/13