Dago Benavidez of Salem, Oregon says that having grown up as the child of Latino migrant farm workers, he has a special insight into the needs and fears of Spanish-speaking children caught up in the child welfare system. His is one of fifteen CASAs whose reflections on their efforts on behalf of children are included in the book, Lighting the Way.

?When I was a little boy, I remember children who, having been abused at home, would look forward to school because it served as a kind of safe haven from their parents. The teachers didn't know about this because the kids didn't really have anyone looking out for them who would share that type of thing with the school. But I knew it because they were friends of mine, and I was aware of the hardships they were going through at home. It's these personal experiences and the fact that some of these Latino children are falling by the wayside that got me involved in CASA.

It is very important that I get involved because I'm bilingual, and these kids or their caregivers often don't understand or speak English. Not only are the children scared about what's happening to them or where they are going to end up as they make their way through the family court system, but also there's no one there to explain to them what's going on. And with the Latino population growing by leaps and bounds, it stands to reason that more Latino children are going to be in the system, needing help and guidance from someone who can speak Spanish.

One such case that I've been working on is coming to a positive and happy conclusion. When I first met Rosie, she was very much an introvert. Because her mother was moderately mentally retarded and also suffered from epilepsy, she took heavy medications when she was pregnant. As a result, Rosie was born with fingernails that weren't fully formed. Nobody was aware of this situation until the grandmother shared that information with me in Spanish. I asked the Services to Children and Families worker if they had done a psychological evaluation on the child, and he said no. So I requested that they do one. The psychologist had Rosie play games until she felt comfortable and started to open up. It turns out Rosie had always been introverted because she was embarrassed about not having fingernails like everyone else. She talked about how she would hide her hands and fingers whenever she was in public because she didn't want anyone to see them.

The psychologist said the best thing for me to do would be to get Rosie into Head Start to help her socialize with other children her own age. It took a lot of work to get her enrolled because of the amount of paperwork and the fact that her grandmother could not speak or read English. So I helped her grandmother with the paperwork, and after a couple of months, we were able to get her enrolled.

Now Rosie is thriving. She's living with her grandmother, and every time I go over to their home, her face lights up with a smile when she sees me. It's just such a great reward to see this big, beautiful smile.

?.A year into Rosie's case, her mother had another child, a little boy. Because of the mother's mental condition, which made it impossible for her to care properly for the baby, he was immediately placed with a paternal uncle. As a CASA volunteer, I made sure that he judge saw and approved my recommendations that the two children had visitation rights. Because of that, I don't feel bad about the children being in two separate homes because they are with relatives, and the relatives make sure that the children see each other on a regular basis.

Through this whole process, I find the court system really supportive of the work CASA volunteers do—they believe in the CASA program. It's really gratifying that they view CASA volunteers as professionals looking out for the best interests of the children. The judges always make a point of asking the CASA volunteers if they have anything further they would like to add at the end of the proceedings. Judges also ask us questions about the children and their families before they make decisions. I truly feel we are making a big difference when we deal with the judicial system, because people have a sincere interest in what we have to say.

The judges respect our recommendations because we're speaking for the child?They know we aren't there out of self-interest, nor do we have our own agenda. We're just doing what's good for the child. And as a Latino, I think it's encouraging the way things are going with the judicial system. The courts have become aware of the need for Latinos to get involved with Latino children?

When I first started as a CASA volunteer, I knew I wanted to advocate for children. But it becomes more real and tangible the more you do it. It—the work, the kids—just grows on you. The rewards aren't monetary, but more spiritual. The more you see the need for CASA, the more you want to do.

• For more information on the CASA program, contact the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association. [1]
• For information on the book, Lighting the Way, contact the Child Welfare League of America. [2]
• Learn more about Foster Care Month. [3]