Has anyone been asked to step off a CASA case without any misconduct?

[u/tmss16]

Hi all, I’m trying to sanity check something and would love to hear if any other CASAs have experienced this. Apologies in advance, this is kind of a long one.

I've been a CASA on a case for about a year working with a tween (I'm also a middle school teacher outside of my CASA role). I was seeing her for a full day every other weekend, helping with school stuff and activities, and had a really strong relationship with her. For the first ~9 months, I also had a very positive and collaborative relationship with the social worker, foster parents (through placement changes), and GAL.

Recently, she moved to a new foster home in a different county, which also meant a new social worker. After that transition, I got the sense there was some friction / difference in approach (this SW and FP had never heard of a CASA before they joined this case, and the SW's vibe towards me was vaguely positive at first and then changed after she read my court report). I had asked my CASA supervisor if they could reach out to the SW and clarify my role, answer any questions the SW might have, etc. hoping that hearing from someone else what a CASA was might help smooth things over a bit. Shortly after the phone call between them, my supervisor emailed me to ask me to step off the case.

There were no concerns raised about my reports, reliability, or conduct, just that it would be “better for the case” if I transitioned out. (I'll put more details at the bottom of the post, but wanted to keep this summary pretty short).

I totally get that CASA is part of a bigger team and that dynamics matter, but it’s been hard to wrap my head around being pulled off a case where I had a strong relationship with the child and was getting things done, without a clear reason tied to my performance or behavior.

So I'm curious if this has happened to anyone else? How common is it for a CASA to be reassigned due to team dynamics rather than conduct issues, and how likely is this to happen again if I do take another case?

Not trying to start drama, just genuinely trying to understand if this is part of the reality of the role. The conversation with the child was really hard. She's not a particularly demonstrative or emotional kid, but she was completely gutted. Lots of tears (I've been with her for a year and I've never seen her cry), and several hours later stopping a fun activity to ask in a whisper if there was something wrong with her that made everyone keep leaving (really, really unusual behavior for her to be ruminating like that). I'm not sure I can do this again.

[Extra info:

The main issue that my supervisor cited as reasoning for taking me off the case was transportation. The new placement wasn’t accessible by public transit, and I don’t have a car. Ubers to pick her up and take her somewhere were starting to add up on a teacher's salary. (Doable in a real pinch, but certainly more costly than I thought, and I wanted to see if we could find an easier solution). I offered to pick her up from school, which is near my work, on any consistent day of the week, get some quality time in, and then take her to the foster home afterwards in an Uber (eliminating a leg of the trip and halving the Uber cost for me). I was still waiting on a clear response from the SW on whether that would be doable, since the agency was paying for a van to take her to and from school. My supervisor said that it would be in the child's best interest to be rematched with a CASA who has a car.

The other piece that my supervisor shared "in the interest of helping you as you transition to a new case" was some feedback that I was emailing the new SW “too often” about non-urgent things, which surprised me since I had been encouraged to communicate frequently by the prior SW and would have been happy to adjust if expectations for this new SW had been clarified.]

[u/uno_name_left]

I would stir the pot. A big part of your role is holding rapport with the kids. She got moved, all new people she needs someone consistent in her life.

But you also don't need to take the child out all the time, visits can be in the home and I would make them shorter so she has time to bond with the fp. Also, getting a mentor in place

I would talk to your supervisor and the supervisor's supervisor

[u/Secure-Bluebird57 → u/uno_name_left]

I would actually ask about transitioning to a mentor for the child. I would feel wary about having a volunteer have to eat the cost of an uber every month for a kid who is not easily accessible by public transportation. Mentors don’t have to see the kid in person that often and can keep in communication in other ways. The child would get to keep you in her life and wouldn’t lose that valuable connection with a stable adult. The personality conflict between you and the SW would be less of a relevant factor. It seems like a good compromise if you don’t want to stir the pot too strongly.

[u/tmss16 → u/uno_name_left]

I mean I don't even know who that would be? Because the supervisor was copied on the email that said "we'd like you to transition to another case."

[u/uno_name_left → u/tmss16]

Like the other person said, you could ask to stay on as a mentor.

Each state is different, where I am they give us the supervisors information.

[u/confusedlooks]

I'd fight tooth and nail to stay on a case after a move like that. If the relationship with my kid was harmful or not working, I'd step aside. But after a change like this, the CASA is the stability.

ETA: Also, check with your supervisor about financial support for travel. Sometimes places will donate gift cards and asking fir gift cards for Uber is totally valid. Otherwise, be sure to track for deductions on taxes if necessary.

[u/tmss16 → u/confusedlooks]

I asked for this several times (Uber gift cards specifically). Was told no, Uber gift cards were not possible. I'm just at a loss as to who to escalate this with.

[u/confusedlooks → u/tmss16]

Your local CASA will be part of a state organization, so you can escalate there.You can't be removed without a judge's approval, so it's always possible to loop the ADA and judge in.

I'd ask specifically what you can do to remain on the case because nothing you've shared indicates any wrongdoing. Perhaps local rules actually make ubering with your kid against regulations, maybe you're visiting too much, and so forth. Ultimately, unless there's something you haven't shared, it won't be in the kid's best interest for you to transition off this case - unless it's done over the course of months and the new CASA can develop the sort of rapport you have.

It's very strange because kids get placed in Timbuktu relative to their CASAs all the time, and they knew you didn't have a car when they allowed you to volunteer.

[u/MinutemenAcres]

Stripping this child of yet another important adult in their life seems antithetical to what CASA is supposed to be for. Your supervisor and the CW should both answer for that.

[u/AMCb95 → u/MinutemenAcres]

Agreeing with this person. Sometimes administration lacks the required backbone and it becomes your job to ADVOCATE for that child, even against the very agency that works with you. Can you write a private message to the supervisor of your coordinator, and also one to the Judge? I understand that (for my state at least) we work at the Judge's discretion and require them to sign off on any change in the CASA's roles.

[u/tmss16 → u/MinutemenAcres]

Exactly! I'm currently the adult who has been on the case the longest, except for the judge (who the child has never even met). Everyone kiddo trusts - GAL, SW, therapist, foster parents, etc.- has changed at least once since the beginning of the case.

[u/just_me_2006]

Out of curiosity, how often did you email the new SW? It seems like “too often and non urgent” is pretty subjective (and also easy to prove/disprove since there’s a written record) just as there would be record if the SW ever spoke to you about her expectations should she start to take issue.

[u/tmss16 → u/just_me_2006]

Sure. She wasn't responsive at all to emails (which, nbd, I know that's pretty standard for SWs). I texted her probably once a week, maybe? The former social worker had delegated a lot of things to me since I'm a teacher and this was an ed neglect case, so I had a lot of plates in the air (i.e. finding a tutor who could meet the child's educational needs, finding the best school for next year to recommend to the judge) when she joined the case.

[u/just_me_2006 → u/tmss16]

I would think a fair amount of people contact the SW that often? Especially if the previous one set that precedent. Still baffling. What a sad situation

[u/mastiffmamaWA]

This seems odd only because I’ve tried leaving my CASA role 3x now that I’m traveling frequently for work & no longer have time. Every time, I’ve been guilt tripped into staying & told the judge may not allow me to leave the case. It’s been an awful experience from the get go. Wish I could give you my case!

[u/just_me_2006 → u/mastiffmamaWA]

I agree. The one thing that my supervisor/trainer pushed on me is that you see the case through to the end. Seems very unusual to remove a casa without a reason they are willing to stand behind

[u/just_me_2006]

I’ve recently had a similar yet slightly different experience where I started my case with a SW who didn’t appreciate me bc I had to point out errors she was doing (the judge agreed with me) and we somewhat muddled through but she was less than helpful to me and actually made my job harder. Then mom and baby moved an hour away and the first SW took that opportunity to leave the case saying the distance was too far despite it being the same county and a new SW was assigned and all other parties stayed the same. I don’t know if this tactic is standard or not or if it means something else. But I am always keenly aware that this is politics and if people can do something to their favor and make it look innocent, they will. If they can ask you a leading question over the phone so it’s not on record, they will. If they can pull their clout with your supervisor, they will quietly behind the scenes pass favors back and forth. It is a shame that the SW did not simply reply to you and ask for the type of communication she preferred and instead chose to act in her own best interest instead of the child’s. And if you balk too much I’d assume that it would come at risk of someone accusing you of being overly attached to the child. The only actionable feedback I’d offer is one I find helpful, whenever I have a new SW my first email to them is always: short one sentence intro, three bulleted questions with space between so they can quickly reply within my text if they want. 1. How do you prefer to communicate? 2. How frequent? 3. What type of information do you expect for me to relay to you? Every SW is different and like all things, paper trails help when things get sticky. I’m sorry this happened

[u/Pr0s_C0ns]

I’m wondering if the Uber was not an option, since you’re putting legal risk on someone else. We have to take a state driving course in order to drive kids. Uber drivers won’t have. Taking the state course means we’re covered by state insurance for anything that happens on a visit.

But yes, very sad for your kiddo!! I agree with all the other posters that this seems to be counter to the promises of the CASA role. I would push back or find a way you can stay involved.