Story of Hope: Cynthia Catlin-Gaskins
January Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Cynthia's Advocate Supervisor
Cynthia Catlin-Gaskins was assigned to a case involving 5 siblings who were removed from their home due to neglect and drug usage. The parents would consistently attend visits, but did not engage in any other services. The youngest child was placed with the paternal grandmother, and the other four children were placed with maternal great grandmother.
From the very beginning Cynthia voiced her concerns regarding the maternal great grandmother placement. She observed that the needs of the children were not being met and that the placement seemed to be constantly at risk of breaking down. CPS ignored the concerns and insisted the placement would provide permanency. Unfortunately, Cynthia's fears were realized when, after parental rights were officially terminated, the maternal great grandmother placement broke down, leaving four children looking for permanency.
The children were split up into multiple foster placements with no permanency in sight. Various family members expressed interest in becoming a placement for the siblings, but CPS was resistant to investigate any of these options due to past history. Cynthia, however, advocated that they at least be considered since there was currently no other permanency options.
For various reasons, none of these placements came to be, but at least two of the children (the two girls) ended up in a foster to adopt home in February 2019. Cynthia started cultivating these adoptive parents so they would also consider taking the two boys. They finally agreed and the boys were placed with their sisters.
As they are getting placed, we received news that the foster mom, who had been laid off of work, just found a new job in North Carolina, so they were going to go through the process of buying a new house in North Carolina and selling their home in San Antonio. They told CPS that they were on a timeline, but they wanted to officially adopt all four children before they left. CPS bureaucracy made it nearly impossible for this family to fulfill the requirements asked for them in order to move with their new family.
Since the girls had been with them longer, they were able to finalize their adoption sooner. The boys' adoption was still pending since they had been only recently been placed with the family, even though they had done multiple sibling visits prior in their home, including overnight stays. Cynthia pushed hard for the two boys not to be left behind in San Antonio, which was what CPS suggested had to happen. CASA even contacted the court manager because the plans for the case would change after every hearing.
Finally, the court summoned CPS program directors, adoption specialists, and every decision maker so they had to explain why the system was getting in the way of permanency. The judge asked them to staff in a conference room, because if they didn’t figure it out, he would. The goal was not to leave those boys behind when the family moved to North Carolina. CPS finally came up with a plan that would ensure all requirements would be met before the family had to travel to North Carolina. The four children are now together in what very soon will become their forever home.
Thanks to Cynthia's persistence, not only was she able to ensure the siblings were adopted together, but she also ensured that the boys didn't experience more trauma in the process.
Help us provide more Advocates like Cynthia who are willing to go above and beyond to provide a voice for children in foster care.
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In March 2025, Child Protective Services removed four young children, just 7, 4, 2, and 3 months old, from their mother’s care. This difficult step followed ongoing concerns about neglect, largely connected to the mother’s struggle with substance use, even during her most recent pregnancy. Although CPS offered support through Family Based Safety Services, the mother was unable to engage in the help provided. The children’s father was also unable to support them due to his own substance abuse and his incarceration in Bexar County Jail. Before removal, the children’s basic medical and educational needs were going unmet. They had been moved repeatedly between their mother and other relatives, leaving them without the stability, routine, and nurturing supervision every child deserves. When CASA Staff Advocate, JoAnn Herring, was assigned the case in April 2025, she immediately reached out to both kinship caregivers to understand the children’s needs and how to best support the families stepping in to care for them. JoAnn quickly learned that the paternal grandmother, who lovingly took in some of the children, was struggling financially and facing barriers due to limited English proficiency. To ensure she wasn’t facing these challenges alone, JoAnn submitted a CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) referral and personally provided translation support so the grandmother could access services with dignity and understanding. Throughout the case, JoAnn has witnessed moments where cultural sensitivity was lacking, and personal biases influenced important decisions; often at the expense of what was best for the children. Despite these obstacles, she continues to advocate steadfastly and compassionately for the children to remain with the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to provide safety, consistency, and love. Although the case is not yet over, Joann’s story demonstrates that CASA’s advocacy reaches beyond the children themselves, strengthening the village of care and support surrounding them, because CASA wants children to be safe, to thrive, and to have their overall well-being protected.
Johnathan Cobb
