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News from CASA

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

LANCASTER, PA (October 15th, 2019) – Bullying is a common experience children can have happen at school, at home, or even online. According to pacer.org, more than one in five children report being bullied. During National Bullying Prevention Month, remember that children in foster care are already treated differently. They are often bullied even more, ostracized, and left out of social events. According to surveys conducted by fosterfocusmag.com school teachers can unknowingly release sensitive or personal information of a foster child to other students. Attitudes change and bullying begins.

Children in foster care often lack the support to stand up to bullies, and this is where a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) can help. CASA volunteers meet with the children they serve on a regular basis, get to know the child, and offer both consistency and compassion. CASA’s can identify the signs of neglect and bullying and will speak with the teachers, foster parents-all parties involved-to help the child thrive. CASA volunteers are highly trained citizen volunteers that are aware of the warning signs of bullying. Stopbullying.gov lists some signs of bullying as:

Unexplained injuries Loss of belongings Changes in eating habits
Difficulty sleeping Frequent sick days Suffering grades
Decreased self esteem Self-destructive behaviors Avoidance of social situations


CASA of Lancaster County provides qualified and compassionate court appointed volunteer advocacy for children of abuse and neglect in the belief that every child deserves a safe, nurturing, and permanent home. CASA volunteers believe that growing up in a safe home is a fundamental human right. For information about becoming involved with CASA of Lancaster, call 717-208-3280, email casa@CASAlancaster.org, or visit www.casalancaster.org.