Vigilant Voices™ hosted by Jeannine Panzera and Kristin Blalock from Henrico CASA

Any and all resources are useful in our attempt to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families, in order to ensure NO child continues to face abuse, neglect, or trauma. Even fiction books can leave us with lessons learned that apply to helping vulnerable children.

We hope you enjoy our two recommended novels:

You can find additional book recommendations from Henrico CASA's staff on our blog.

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Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The more we KNOW about the challenges facing children and families, the more effective we can be at ensuring NO child faces additional abuse, neglect, or trauma. And for our team at Henrico CASA, part of knowing is reading! We are continuous learners, knowing there is always room to know better and do better.

Join us as we discuss three non-fiction books that have been impacting our thinking:

In this episode, we discuss the role Court Appointed Special Advocates play in the lives of vulnerable children. Would you be interested in learning more about this skilled volunteer opportunity that truly changes lives? Visit our website or register for our August 2023 virtual information session.

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Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Being outside is good for our minds, bodies, and souls. It especially calming for children who have experiences trauma, because it's a place of imagination, belonging, and awe. Join us as discuss how the outdoors can offer an opportunity for healing.

A special thank you to Beth Wright, Director of Camp Alkulana, for leading a recent education session for our CASA volunteers. Her presentation was the inspiration for this episode!

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In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

There is so much to learn as we each transition into adulthood. Gaining the knowledge and skills needed for future success is extra challenging for youth who have not had a parent role model. How can we support teens aging out of the foster care system during this transition? Join us as we brainstorm ways we, as individuals and as a community, can provide wrap around support to these teens.

Our CASA volunteers facilitate connections between at-risk teenagers and the supports they need. A special shout out to programs like these that are supporting youth aging out of foster care:

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In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Communication goes way beyond just our words... but how do we communicate with littles ones who don't yet have words? That challenge is one of many reason why infants and toddlers are disproportionately at risk for maltreatment. Join us as we talk through some intentional communication games and activities that we can incorporate into our interactions with babies and young children. After listening, hop online to learn the five simple steps to the 'serve & return' from our friends at the Center for the Developing Child (Harvard University).

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In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠ and on social media: ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠.

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Meet the hosts of Vigilant Voices™:

Jeannine Panzera, Executive Director, has been advocating for children with Henrico CASA for more than 10 years. Jeannine graduated with her Juris Doctorate from University of Richmond School of Law, after graduating from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. Jeannine is often asked to present at conferences and conduct training on the needs of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and best practices in volunteer management. She is also an active member of the Virginia CASA State Leadership Team.

Kristin Blalock, Community Engagement Coordinator, joined CASA in 2021. She has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Xavier University. Kristin left a career in HR consulting to venture into small business ownership, then transitioned her project management and communications skills to the non-profit world. Her outreach and engagement work, including social media management, have received recognition at a local and national level. She is dedicated to supporting children from hard places in both her professional life and personal life.

Our hearts break at every act of violence. In reflection, we wanted to share a column written by host Jeannine Panzera and published in the Richmond Times Dispatch on March 14, 2023. This column is a compilation of thoughts considering the causes of youth violence and what we can do to support children in way that prevents violence.

Column: Want to stop mass shooters? Address childhood trauma

No two children are alike. But in general, they follow a similar sequence of growth and development. We’re talking about the ages and stages of child development in this episode because a lack of understanding about child development is a risk factor for abuse and neglect.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Meet the hosts of Vigilant Voices™:

Jeannine Panzera, Executive Director, has been advocating for children with Henrico CASA for more than 10 years. Jeannine graduated with her Juris Doctorate from University of Richmond School of Law, after graduating from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. Jeannine is often asked to present at conferences and conduct training on the needs of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and best practices in volunteer management. She is also an active member of the Virginia CASA State Leadership Team.

Kristin Blalock, Community Engagement Coordinator, joined CASA in 2021. She has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Xavier University. Kristin left a career in HR consulting to venture into small business ownership, then transitioned her project management and communications skills to the non-profit world. Her outreach and engagement work, including social media management, have received recognition at a local and national level. She is dedicated to supporting children from hard places in both her professional life and personal life.

Mental Health issues are on the rise for youth and considered to be at a crisis point. Children and teens struggle with a variety of mental illness including anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Today's episode focuses on anxiety because it’s the most common mental health concern for children.

Notes:

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In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at ⁠www.HenricoCASA.org⁠ and on social media: ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠.

Permanency is a key to a healthy childhood. Sometimes foster care is needed as a short term solution to allows for establishing a long term plan for a child’s security. You can help make more positive foster care stories. Speak up for children in foster care. They are not bad…. They are not hopeless… They just need to process their trauma with a stable adult by their side. 

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

We can all be "the ONE." Identify a child in your life and commit to being a consistent presence in their life. The difference you make for one, represents the wish you have for all.

Learn more about Adverse Childhood Experiences, ACEs, in this PACEsConnection handout.

In our work as Court Appointed Special Advocates, we’ve learned that it’s important to KNOW about the challenges facing children and families to ensure NO child faces abuse, neglect, or trauma. Follow Henrico CASA's mission, work, and impact at www.HenricoCASA.org and on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.