Become an Educational Decision Maker (EDM) with CASA

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Philadelphia trains members of the community to advocate in family court for neglected and abused children.

By law, the person making educational decisions for a dependent child is typically a parent/guardian, kinship caregiver, foster parent or close family member. However, some children do not have a person like this in their life, especially kids in congregate care settings (group home/institution) whose parental rights have been terminated by the court. In these cases in Philadelphia, a judge can appoint CASA to provide an Educational Decision Maker (EDM)

An EDM volunteer is an individual who has been screened and trained by CASA Philadelphia and appointed by the court to serve as the legal parent for children in out-of-home care who do not have anyone to make educational decisions on their behalf.

We are looking for:

~Someone who forms a direct relationship with the child.

~Someone who will visit that child as needed to address educational concerns.

~Someone who will have contact with school personnel, caseworkers, and placement facility staff about the childs educational needs.

~Someone who will attend school meetings and review appropriate school records.

You do not have to be a lawyer or social worker to be a volunteer! However, youmust be at least 21 years old, and pass criminal and child abuse clearances. We ask that volunteers commit to 2 years of service (the average length of a case). EDM's spend an estimated 10 hours a month advocating for their case. To be a CASA or EDM volunteer, you must complete 30 hours of pre-service training. As a volunteer, you will be thoroughly trained and well supported by professional staff to help you through your case.

To find out more, go to: www.casaphiladelphia.org