Volunteer Assists Abused, Neglected Children

Upon retirement, Gloria Mansfield of St. Charles refused to trade her paralegal career for a rocking chair. Volunteering was in her future.

Mansfield wanted assurance that her time and effort were well-spent, and the mother of two also preferred assisting children. She researched various ideas and opted for CASA Kane County. Since 1997, Mansfield has served the juvenile court system as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for four abused and neglected children, one of whom she worked with for eight years.

"As a CASA, you always make a difference. Besides raising my own family, it's been the most gratifying thing I've ever done. It's a labor of love and it's never a waste of time," said Mansfield, a Kentucky native who has lived in Kane County since 1971.

That labor of love has been filled with CASA duties, including meeting with the child at least once a month and meeting with all pertinent people, such as the child's family members, attorneys, foster parents and teachers. CASAs also write detailed reports for submission to the court when decisions are being made that impact a child's welfare, especially regarding where the child will live when his or her parents can't or won't properly care for them. CASA volunteers are also appointed guardian ad litem for each child they represent, meaning that a CASA can participate in official court proceedings and speak on the child's behalf.

"You're so busy trying to do all you can do for the child, there's really no time to become emotionally overwhelmed. We're problem solvers. We have to be. We're just trying to get all the appropriate information to the judge," Mansfield said.

Three of her four cases involved very young girls and concluded within two years. However, eight years ago, she was assigned an emotionally troubled 13-year-old girl who was in and out of psychiatric facilities and group homes, lived in seven different places and "aged out" of CASA when she recently turned 21.

"She had been sexually abused by a family member," Mansfield said of the child. "When I first met her, she was so out of control. Everybody was her enemy. It didn't matter who I was. She was just so in need of all the things she got later."

Mansfield met with the child in a psychiatric hospital and explained she was there to help her.

"I remember I told her she could tell me things she wanted me to say in court. I just made friends with her. We talked a lot. I earned her trust gradually. She was not in a position to be trusting. People kept deserting her," Mansfield said.

One day, Mansfield overheard a conversation the girl had with another child. When the other child asked the girl who Mansfield was, the girl first said "My CASA," and then, "My guardian." When the other child understood neither, the girl finally said with exasperation "She's my friend!"

That friendship grew as Mansfield continued to work on the girl's case, sometimes driving hours to see her as she moved to spots in Kane, Cook, McHenry and Winnebago counties.

"I followed her all the places she went. She lived in seven locations, in two group homes and in five foster homes," Mansfield said. "She had four case workers and attended six schools. I was the only one with her all the time. Of course, you're frustrated, but there's nothing you can do about it."

The girl eventually graduated high school and is living in a safe place with people who care for her. She and Mansfield remain friends and the two recently met for lunch.

"It was like having lunch with a girlfriend. She's very personable. You wouldn't have believed it if you would have seen her when she first came into the program. Now we laughed and had a good time. I'll never lose touch with her," Mansfield said.

Mansfield will eventually be assigned another child to work with, but these days, she serves as a mentor for new CASAs during the 10-week training program.

"I try to give new CASAs the confidence they can do it. They'll run into situations when you have to do the most you can do, and that's it. I tell them that when a child needs something, it's not up to us to do it, but to make sure it's provided to her," she said.

Mansfield has worked with Kane County CASA case manager Lori Higgins since 1999. Higgins said Mansfield's relationship with the girl is a testament to Mansfield's dedication.

"The unique thing about Gloria is that she was the only person who knew this child's whole history. She was the one who was always having to train the case workers and remind people about what was happening with this child. She was the keeper of the history. We want to be the constant person in a child's life and in this case, Gloria really was," Higgins said.

Mansfield's dedication is precisely what CASA Kane County leaders are seeking in volunteers. Deb McQuaid, director of advocate education for CASA Kane County, said the organization currently has 210 active volunteers.

"We train additional CASA volunteers three or four times a year so that we are always prepared to take new cases. We like to have a pool available so that we can best match the CASA and the case," McQuaid said.

During 2009, 220 CASA Kane County volunteers served 538 children from throughout Kane County. Roughly 43 percent of the children served in 2009 were from Aurora, with 27 percent from Elgin, 4 percent from St. Charles and 1 percent each from Geneva and Batavia.

McQuaid said CASA volunteers must be at least 21 years old and be able to pass a criminal background check. They also need to have good communication skills, a flexible schedule to enable appropriate visits, court date attendance and training.

For more information, visit www.casakanecounty.org.