By James McCabe, editor · How this site is researched
Most volunteer programs ask you to see your child at least once a month. That rule is easy to meet and easy to waste. An unplanned visit produces a note that says "child doing well." A planned one produces a note the judge can use. This guide lays out a monthly visit plan for volunteers in dependency (foster care) cases: where the rule comes from, what to check, how to rotate the setting, and what your supervisor will ask. For the mechanics of a single visit, see Conducting Effective Home Visits.
Where the monthly rule comes from
Two sets of rules shape the cadence. The first applies to the caseworker, not you, but it shows what the system expects. Federal law at 42 U.S.C. 622(b)(17) requires every state child welfare plan to set standards for caseworker visits that "at a minimum, ensure that the children are visited on a monthly basis" and that visits are "well-planned and focused on issues pertinent to case planning and service delivery." Under 42 U.S.C. 624(f), states must reach 95 percent of children with a monthly visit, and at least 50 percent of those visits must take place in the child's residence. If the caseworker is not meeting that standard, that is worth knowing.
The second set applies to you. The National CASA/GAL Association Core Model, approved by its board in 2016 and last updated in 2019, lists the volunteer's core activities as: "Visit the child at least monthly," gather information, "Report to the court with recommendations regarding the child's placement and needed services," and "Monitor the case until released by the court." State rules sometimes phrase it differently. Kansas Supreme Court Rule 110(d)(1)(A), as amended effective January 1, 2023, tells the CASA volunteer to "visit the child as often as necessary to monitor the child's safety" and to observe whether the child's essential needs are being met. Monthly is the floor almost everywhere. Some programs ask for more early in a case or after a placement change. Check your program's policy and your state's page here, such as Kansas.
The monthly checklist
Oklahoma CASA posts a one-page monthly volunteer checklist that is a good model. Each of its ten rows has a follow-up question: is it documented in the case management system? The rows are:
- Face-to-face visit with your CASA child or children
- Talk to your CASA supervisor
- Talk to the agency caseworker
- Talk to or see the placement provider
- Talk to or see the biological parents
- Communicate with an educational professional
- Communicate with a service provider for the child
- Communicate with a service provider for the parents
- Recommend services, supports, visitation or communication that strengthen the family
- Communicate with an attorney
You will not hit all ten every month. The point is that the child visit is one contact out of ten. A month where you saw the child but spoke to no one else is a thin month, and your next court report will show it.
What to check at the visit itself
The Arizona Supreme Court's CASA Program publishes a sheet called "Sources of Information for Court Report." It is organized by who you talk to and works as a visit agenda. From the placement provider, ask about daily routine, sleep, behavior before and after parent or sibling visits, school adjustment, any new services, and any medical or developmental concerns. From a verbal child, ask about relationships with parents, the placement family, siblings and friends; hopes for the future; and visits with people who matter to them. The Arizona sheet adds a caution worth repeating: "it is not your role as a CASA volunteer to interview a child about the allegations."
Then look. Does the child have a bed, clothes that fit, and a place for their things? Watch how the child and caregiver speak to each other. Spend part of the visit with the child alone when appropriate. Age-by-age approaches are covered in Interviewing a Child as a GAL Volunteer.
Rotate the setting
A visit does not have to be at the foster home every time. Over a quarter, aim for at least two settings: the placement, school or daycare, a supervised parent visit, or a therapy waiting room. The school visit answers questions the foster parent cannot: attendance, grades, friendships, whether an IEP or 504 plan exists. The parent visit shows how the child greets and leaves a parent, which is some of the most useful observation you will record. Confirm with the caseworker before attending one.
A sample three-month rotation
| Month | Setting | Extra contacts | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Placement, child alone for part | Caseworker, supervisor | Daily routine, safety, child's wishes |
| 2 | School or daycare, then short placement stop | Teacher or counselor, child's therapist | Education, services, behavior changes |
| 3 | Supervised parent visit | Parent, parents' service provider, attorney | Parent-child interaction, case plan progress |
Adjust the rotation when something changes. A new placement, a hospitalization, a runaway episode or a change in the permanency goal means the next visit is at the placement and soon.
Write it down the same day
A visit that is not documented did not happen as far as the court is concerned. The note should separate what you saw from what you were told. "At 4:10 p.m. J. showed me his room; a twin bed with sheets, a dresser with his clothes, three books on the floor" is observation. "Foster mother reports J. has refused dinner twice this week" is a report, and should be labeled as one. Date, place, who was present and how long you stayed go at the top. Six or eight of these notes become the court report. The full method is in Case Notes That Hold Up.
What your supervisor will ask
Expect a monthly supervisor contact and the same questions each time: When did you last see the child, and where? Any safety concern? Has anything changed in placement, school or services? Who else did you talk to this month? What do you plan for next month? If you can answer all five in two minutes, it was a good month. If not, the checklist shows where the gap is. Kansas Rule 110(d)(1)(E) requires a written report before each regularly scheduled hearing; most states have a similar rule, and that hearing date is what your monthly notes build toward. More volunteer guides are collected at the guides hub.
Common questions
How often does a CASA volunteer have to visit the child?
The National CASA/GAL Association Core Model lists visiting the child at least monthly as a core volunteer activity. State rules vary in wording. Kansas Supreme Court Rule 110 says as often as necessary to monitor the child's safety. Your local program's written policy sets the floor for your case.
Does the caseworker also have to visit every month?
Yes. Under 42 U.S.C. 622(b)(17), state child welfare plans must ensure children in foster care are visited by a caseworker at least monthly, and 42 U.S.C. 624(f) sets a 95 percent target with at least half of visits in the child's residence.
Does every monthly visit have to be at the foster home?
Usually not. Programs commonly encourage seeing the child in different settings, such as school, a supervised parent visit or the placement. Check your program's policy and confirm with the caseworker before attending a parent visit.
What should I document after each visit?
Date, place, who was present and how long you stayed, then what you observed, kept separate from what others told you. Write the note the same day so the details are accurate when you draft the court report.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, county and courtroom, and they change. Verify anything time-sensitive with your supervising GAL staff, the court or a licensed attorney in your state.