THE May ADVOCATE OF THE MONTH IS:
Glen Conant
It takes a big heart to be a CASA volunteer, and our Advocate of the Month for May, Glen Conant, has one of the biggest hearts around. A retired special education teacher, Glen is assigned to her second case and just like in her previous case, is proving to be an unwavering beacon of support, hope, and encouragement to everyone around her.
In her current case, Glen advocates for an infant boy whose mom suffers with mental health issues. It is very apparent through her actions and communications that her struggles are severe. Not everyone would see the purpose of investing time in this young lady, but Glen is not “everyone.” Glen faithfully reaches out to her several times a month, but her efforts do not end there. Glen takes her to lunch and sends her pictures of her baby and patiently responds to flurries of text messages that are often difficult to understand. At a recent court hearing, Glen was observed sitting beside the young mom, arm around her, silently conveying that she was not alone.
Glen always goes the extra mile for people. Her generosity extends to case workers, caregivers, attorneys, parents, family members, and of course the child. Glen makes multiple visits a month to see her child. She is present for Christmas parties, Easter egg hunts, and other special events. She even helped organize a meeting at a park between the child’s foster parents and the fictive kin whom the child was likely going to live with. It was a sweet time of fellowship in which everyone was able to see that they were all acting in the child’s best interest. Since her case began in October, Glen has made multiple trips across multiple counties to visit family members and gather crucial information needed to make informed recommendations. When the case needs Glen’s help, she readily gives it.
While pouring time and energy into a parent, often over Mexican food, is not new to Glen, she is quick to say that many things in this case are new to her. Unlike before, she has encountered foster parents, extended family, and fictive kin. Glen has had to face a dilemma common to advocates, and that is how to set aside personal feelings while making a recommendation for placement. Glen’s little guy was placed in a fantastic foster home who was more than willing to adopt if able, and then a biological sister’s family was found who is also willing to keep him permanently. Although having two excellent options for a child is a good problem to have, it can be immensely difficult for an advocate to shift gears and consider a new option. Glen navigated this challenge beautifully. She did her research and kept an open mind. Glen likes to say she is a life-long learner and has expressed that what she is learning in this case will make her an even stronger advocate. One big lesson she shared learning is the importance of beginning CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) at the onset of a case. CFE is a tool that can help identify family members for the child to live with. She says that if she had used CFE earlier the child may have been moved sooner, thus saving the foster parents a little bit of heartache.
We are grateful for advocates like Glen who selflessly give of themselves through dedication, persistence, and acts of kindness ALL to benefit their precious kiddos. These words, spoken by Mother Teresa, sum up Glen’s heart perfectly: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”