Where Can I Go For Help?
What do you do when you need help? Who do you ask? Lots of kids ask their moms or dads for help, but you might not be able to do that. So, what do you do?
There are lots of other people you can ask. Some of them you probably know, like your grandma or a neighbor or your teacher at school. Some kids ask their best friend’s mom, their youth group leader or baseball coach. You have some other, very special people you can ask.
You can talk to your caseworker. Your caseworker’s job is to make sure you are safe and have the things you need to be healthy and happy. Things like glasses or medicine or a home where you won’t be hurt. They are also helpers for your mom or dad so that they can be good parents and fix problems they might have.
If you are living in a foster home, you can talk to your foster mom or dad. While your mom or dad works on making your home a safe place to be, your foster parents will take care of you. They are good people to ask if you need help. They want to make sure you get to be a normal, healthy kid. They are good helpers to have.
You also have your Guardian ad Litem. Your GAL can help you with many things, and not all of them have to involve court. If you are having problems in school, in the place you are living or just have questions, you can ask him or her. Your GAL can help you get things you need like permission to go to camp or a person to talk with about your feelings. If you feel scared or worried, you can tell him or her that, too.
Do you have telephone numbers for all these people? If you don’t, maybe you could make a list to put in your pocket or bookbag. Ask an adult to help you if you can’t do it by yourself. And when you really, really need help, ask an adult and keep asking adults until someone helps you!
Your caseworker’s job is to make sure you are safe and have the things that you need.