Nancy's Story
Nancy had been in placement since birth and was 14 years old when finally assigned a CASA volunteer. It was clear to the CASA volunteer that Nancy needed the stability of a permanent family. One of the first things the advocate did was review Nancy’s case file, in which she noticed a reference to a maternal grandmother who had expressed interest in adopting Nancy many years ago.
When the CASA volunteer asked Nancy’s caseworker about the suitability of placing Nancy with her grandmother, the caseworker agreed she might be a potential resource, but due to the passage of time, the grandmother couldn’t be located.
The CASA volunteer knew she had to do all she could to locate Nancy’s grandmother – Nancy needed a family. So, the CASA volunteer spent hours searching through archived files for references to the grandmother. Finally, she found that the grandmother might be living in North Carolina. Armed with that information, she spent more hours searching the Internet for a possible address or phone number. She finally found the apartment building in which the grandmother lived, but there was no apartment or phone number listed for her.
She then began to search for other residents of the building who might be able to get a message to Nancy’s grandmother.
The CASA volunteer eventually spoke with a gentleman who agreed to give the grandmother a message to call her. Six minutes later, the CASA volunteer was speaking with Nancy’s grandmother.
The CASA volunteer learned that, eight years earlier, when Nancy was six, the grandmother had petitioned the court to begin the adoption process. At that time, she was mistakenly informed that Nancy had already been adopted.
The grandmother was heartbroken to learn that Nancy had been in foster care for all these years without a family. She desperately wanted to meet her and give her the stability she needed.
Thanks to the diligence of the CASA volunteer, the Division of Youth and Family Services is working to expedite the placement process so that Nancy can finally have the safe, permanent home she deserves.
NANCY WAS ADOPTED BY HER GRANDMOTHER
Things Turn out Differently When You Speak up for a Child.