Standing Up for Children: A Call to Action During Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month — a time when cities and towns across the country come together to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and renew our commitment to the safety and well-being of every child. For us at the Central SD CASA program, this month carries a special weight. As a new program serving the Sixth Judicial Circuit, we are honored to be part of a national network of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs standing up for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities: children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

At the Central SD CASA program, our mission is simple but powerful — to recruit, train, and support volunteers who advocate for children in the foster care system. These dedicated individuals, known as CASA volunteers, are appointed by judges to represent a child’s best interests in court.They get to know the child, and everyone involved in the child’s life, and then provide critical information and recommendations to help ensure each child finds a safe, permanent, and loving home.

Child abuse and neglect is a crisis that too often stays in the shadows. In South Dakota alone, hundreds of children enter foster care each year because it’s no longer safe for them to remain at home. While the numbers are sobering, they are not the whole story. Behind every statistic is a child — a child who needs a consistent, caring adult to walk beside them during one of the most difficult times in their life.

That’s where CASA volunteers come in. Last week was National Volunteer Week (April 20-26), and we celebrate these everyday heroes. CASA volunteers are community members — teachers, farmers, retirees, business owners, students — people who saw a need and decided to make a difference. Their commitment and compassion ensure that children don’t have to navigate the foster care system alone. As a new program in central South Dakota, we are actively growing our volunteer base and increasing awareness about the work we do. If you’ve ever wondered how you could make a real, lasting impact in a child’s life, now is the time to step forward. We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support so that our advocates feel equipped and empowered to speak up for children in court and in the community. Our first cohort of CASA volunteers will begin training in May. Our next volunteer cohort will begin training in July and we still have room for more.

This April, let’s honor those who advocate tirelessly for children, and recommit ourselves to preventing child abuse before it happens. Every child deserves a chance to thrive — and every one of us has a role to play in making that possible.