Story of Hope: Carol Wratten

Advocate Impact Story


I began working with CASA in 2017 and recently completed my fourth assignment. The case ended this past week with the children reunifying with their mother after a year and a half. This was the best outcome for both Ms. Smith and her children. While there sure are lots of challenges for them in the future, their situation is much improved from the time of removal, and I am hopeful about the future of these beautiful children.


I have found each of my CASA cases challenging in its own way. This one was especially so because my effectiveness was dependent on my ability to establish a relationship with the children’s biological mother. Ms. Smith is a vulnerable, wounded young woman who has a very hard time trusting anyone. She is often openly hostile in situations when she is uncomfortable. Initially she could only see the differences between us and believed that I was there to judge her. She resented my involvement with the children and voiced many times that she wished I did not have the ability to see her children.


The children- Jonas (7), Maise (4) and Coty (2) were placed back with Ms. Smith 6 months ago after their fourth placement broke down. At that time the children were confused, defiant of authority, and acted out frequently. The oldest child was withdrawn, had been easily drawn into fights at the Children’s Shelter and did not make friends. The other 2 children had also been difficult to manage and were experiencing delays in speech and other developmental milestones.  

When the children were placed back with their mother Ms. Smith initially refused to let me visit with the children at all. This was very disappointing as I had spent a lot of time with the children during the previous 6 months and really wanted them to know that I was a reliable source of support for them. I seriously considered withdrawing from the case as I didn’t see how I could be effective in my role.


My supervisor and the CPS worker (Marla) both encouraged me to hang on. Marla and I had been a good team up until this point. I had spent a lot of time with Marla when she was first assigned to this case and communicated with her regularly. I was able to give Marla details about the children’s progress (or regression) not present in her records and help her with when she first took over this case as the third CPS worker. I was able to visit with various people involved with children and alert her to things that needed to be addressed like breakdowns in continued services- counseling and ECI- when the children changed placements.


I continued to reach out to Ms. Smith and accompanied Marla on a visit to the home. The children were excited to see me, and we had a great visit. After that Ms. Smith did permit visits in their home, though she still would not allow me to take the children out or visit Jonas at school. I saw the children every few weeks and was able to help celebrate their birthdays, read books, play games, take walks, and interact with extended family members present during these visits. I could see that back with their mother the children’s behavior gradually improved. Jonas began first grade and was making friends. Maise was learning her colors and shapes and Coty’s speech was improving, though still delayed.


Ms. Smith was overwhelmed at first with the demands of 3 active young children as well as her lack of social support and precarious financial situation. Over the last 6 months she has begun to become more confident in herself with the reassurance and accountability provided by her mother, CPS worker and church and me. It is always hard to walk away from a vulnerable family knowing that problems persist. I am hopeful for them and grateful for the support of my supervisor in encouraging me to stick it out to see the hope. 

Meet Our Staff Advocates!

June 17, 2026
Pictured, left to right, JoAnn, Yvonne, Lorena, Mackenzie, Michelle, Stephanie, and Dan At CASA, our vision is to serve every child in foster care with a dedicated advocate. While an incredible volunteer serves most children, our new team of Staff Advocates helps expand our capacity to serve children with extremely challenging cases. Staff Advocates help fill critical gaps by taking on cases that often require more intensive coordination and support. These may include larger sibling groups, children with multiple placements, cases connected to specialty courts, or youth placed outside of Bexar County, sometimes even in other cities or states. By supporting these more complex situations, Staff Advocates ensure that children still receive consistent advocacy and attention when additional time or specialized support is needed. Our team includes six Staff Advocates and one Team Lead, all trained employees who work directly with children and families involved in the child welfare system. Thanks to funding from Bexar County and the John R. & Greli N. Less Charitable Trust , the Staff Advocate program has served 126 children in the past year who might not otherwise have had CASA’s brand of consistent, caring advocacy. We are also delighted to announce funding from National CASA/GAL Association to partially support the program in the coming year. In addition to their casework, our Staff Advocates support the Recruitment Department by helping raise awareness about advocacy opportunities in the community. Because they work directly with children and the court system, they bring valuable, real-life insight into what advocacy truly looks like. Staff Advocates have joined the recruitment team at several community events, including Coffee Shop Info Sessions, Comic Con, Faith-based markets, and National Night Out. At these events, they answer questions, share their experiences, and help potential volunteers better understand what it means to advocate for a child in foster care. They bring a firsthand perspective full of authenticity and impact for those considering becoming CASA volunteers. Impact in the Community During our past fiscal year starting July 2025, our Staff Advocates have served 126 children, including 23 children who were placed outside of Bexar County. Since its inception in January 2025, the team’s work has contributed to several meaningful outcomes for children and youth, including: 6 successful reunifications with parents , impacting 16 children 2 adoptions , providing permanent homes for 4 children 2 permanency placements for long-term care , supporting 4 children 1 successful transition into adulthood , where a young person is now attending college, employed, and living independently in her own apartment 6 college-bound students supported These outcomes reflect the dedication and commitment our Staff Advocates bring to every case they serve. Thank you, Staff Advocate Team! If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA advocate or attending an upcoming information session, we invite you to connect with our Recruitment Team and discover how you can make a difference in a child’s life.

Story of Hope: Staff Advocate Michelle

June 8, 2026
Harrison came into care in January 2021 due to abuse and neglect in the home. The department attempted to implement a few safety plans but to no avail. Ultimately, the parents were unable and unwilling to provide him with a safe and stable home environment, and Harrison was placed into foster care. In June 2025, Staff Advocate, Michelle, was assigned to the case, and he was living with his aunt in Laredo, TX. From day one, Michelle has been dedicated to getting to know Harrison, establishing rapport, and building trust. She would take the time to listen to him and get to know his likes and interests. When she first met him, he was timid and shy but as he gained confidence and became more comfortable, he started to open up to Michelle. He started advocating for himself, asking for a new charger for his laptop to do his schoolwork and started to disclose more important topics such as sensitive issues he was facing with his family. In October 2025, while Michelle was heading to Laredo to visit Harrison, he called her to let her know that he was no longer allowed back into his aunt’s home. There was a placement breakdown happening due to a verbal/physical altercation with his aunt and other family members, and his aunt gave notice to the department that day. Upon arrival at Laredo, Michelle immediately called Harrison’s case worker and attorney to let them know what had just transpired. Due to Harrison being 18 and not officially in extended care, Michelle was met with some pushbacks; however, she persevered and asked what his options were, if any, and how we could help him. Harrison’s team worked together and was able to get the extended care paperwork drafted and completed and Michelle was able to brainstorm with Harrison to find him a temporary home with a close friend until his caseworker could bring him back to San Antonio. Michelle took Harrison to his aunt’s so he could pack his belongings and stay with his friend temporarily. Michelle was so thankful that she could be there for him in his time of need. A few days later, Harrison was back in San Antonio. Harrison is currently thriving in his Supervised Independent Living (SIL) placement and is on track to graduate high school in May. He has plans to attend college for Cosmetology. He has had a tremendous change in his overall mood and is coming into his own as a confident young adult. When asked by Michelle how he feels being at his current placement, his response was “safe” and that’s all Michelle needed to hear to know she was making a positive impact.
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