Posts by Susan Swift

From Executive Director Jane Lyons Dear Friends, It’s impossible to advocate on behalf of individual children and youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and not look for…

Our Advocacy Efforts for a More Effective Child Welfare System At Friends of Children, our policy work focuses on transparency, accountability, and oversight of the Commonwealth’s child welfare system.  We…

As advocates across the state urge leaders to support the establishment of independent foster care review, Friends of Children recognizes a need to amplify the voices of those involved in…

With a Master’s degree, specialized CASA training as a special education advocate, and rich professional practical experience throughout Massachusetts, Alison Greene was first motivated to become a CASA after her…

For privacy, we do not name our volunteers. What drew you to the CASA program?  I adopted my son through the Massachusetts Foster to Adoption Program. He was three days…

Created in 2021 in memory of powerhouse CASA volunteer Kathie Stewart, Kathie’s Fund covers expenses for the extracurricular activities that make life full and normal for foster children. The more…

What is CASA? The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program, a national grassroots movement, provides investigation into the long-term well-being needs of children and youth involved in the Juvenile Court…

From Executive Director Jane Lyons Helping children drawn into the complex child welfare system to not merely survive but to thrive requires the dedicated efforts of significant adult advocates. In…

We welcome Dametria (pictured with her daughter Zay’Ahnna) to the FOCUS family. When asked what she would like to share about herself, Dametria said ” I am a young mother…