Something just seemed not quite right.

It was a sadly routine case of sexual abuse, in which the mother of two young girls removed from their home had seemingly completed all the mandated requirements to get them back, including having the offender move out.

Within a month of the girls' return, however, two advocates involved in the case had a hunch something was not right and took turns driving past the home in the evenings. What they discovered was the offender's vehicle parked in the driveway each night.

It was a narrow miss that might have been overlooked in any of the countless cases moving through the child welfare system. But in this one, the child advocates who alerted the system to a potentially disastrous mistake were not social workers, but volunteers with CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National CASA network.

"There is no 'normal,' just-by-the-book case," said Ann McAlpin, executive director of CASA. "There is always something that will come up and surprise you. It really does take decision-making skills because things will come up that you didn't expect."

CASA, or court-appointed special advocate, is a program through which volunteers are appointed to speak for abused and neglected children, interviewing those involved and monitoring each case until the child is placed into a safe and permanent home.

The national network has 955 chapters in all 50 states.

The local program serves 84 percent of children coming into the child welfare system, compared to about 50 percent statewide. The group has set even higher aspirations for serving its young clients.

"Our goal is to advocate for every child in Montgomery County," said McAlpin, who began as a CASA volunteer herself. "We are appointed by the court to a case, which means we have access to all the records. In Montgomery County, we are appointed in every case, and if we don't have an advocate, we have to turn down that case. Our ability to advocate for children is primarily hampered by the number of volunteers available."

Volunteers often recruit new ones into the training program. In addition, the staff at CASA takes every speaking engagement it can book and sets up booths at local festivals.

Looking for meaningful volunteer work after her daughters left for college, long-time Montgomery County resident Jane Funke was drawn into the program after attending its annual gala.

"CASA had always appealed to me, but it was a little scary because I didn't know exactly what they did," she said. "For me, the biggest challenge was overcoming the feeling that I need people to like me. I've never been confrontational, but I found that it has worked for me to get people to talk to each other."

She also has performed difficult tasks, such as submitting a report and testifying in court. But these are tasks made easier by genuine and honest efforts to help the children she looks after.

"If it's the truth, it's not that hard," she said. "And we get excellent training. You have to go through the training program before you take your first case."

Now in her fifth year as a volunteer, she has represented 25 children in 11 families. Unlike CPS caseworkers, CASA advocates work with one to two cases.

"There is nothing better than helping a child who can't help himself," Funke said. "To advocate for a child who is not your own is really special."

CASA Information Night, Tuesday, March 18, 6–8 p.m., Crescent Wine Bar, 440 Rayford Road, Spring, 936-441-5437

About volunteering

Q. How much time does it take?

A. "What we'll tell you is it will take about 10 hours a month," Executive Director Ann McAlpin said. "A lot of times, we tell a new advocate to only take one case, and after three or four months, they figure out that they can take another one."

Volunteers are asked to commit at least one year, since that is the state recommended time for a case to be resolved.

Q. Who can volunteer?

A. Adults 18 and older who pass a background check and complete a required training program provided by CASA. Volunteers must be willing to learn to do basic investigations and speak up for a child in court.

Q. What services do advocates provide?

A. Advocates learn the child's needs, such as medical or counseling services, and communicate them in court. They bring any service shortcomings to the attention of the judge. CASA Child Advocates also partner with other agencies to provide experiences for children, such as annual picnics, holiday parties and tickets to entertainment events.