Volunteers review out-of-home placement cases of children in the public foster care system to make recommendations regarding the well-being, safety, and permanency in the best interest of the child. Volunteers provide individual case advocacy and there are also opportunities for leadership in legislative advocacy
"When asked to share why I volunteer on the Frederick County Citizens Review Board (CRBC), I immediately thought of The Starfish Story adapted from a book by Loren Eiseley. This story tells the tale of a young boy who frantically tries to save starfish stranded on a beach by throwing them back into the sea - one by one. A skeptic tells the young boy he is wasting his time, and he cannot make a difference to the thousands of starfish on the beach. The young boy picks up a starfish, throws it in the water, and says, It makes a difference to that one. Making a difference in the life of each child in foster care is an important focus for me. For this reason, after hearing about the CRBC from a former state CRBC staff member, I have been volunteering on the CRBC in Frederick County for eleven years. By volunteering, I am able to review cases to ensure the needs of each child are taken care of while in out-of-home placement. In addition, as part of the review process, I can also make recommendations that lead to a loving, safe, and permanent home for each child after he/she leaves the system. For me, each case I review matters - one by one. My hope is by serving on the Frederick County CRBC and advocating on behalf of children in foster care, I can make a difference in the lives of these children that will matter now and will have a positive, lasting impact for generations to come." - Wanet Tyson, CRBC Volunteer
Volunteers must be a resident in the jurisdiction in which they serve. Opportunities are available state wide. Volunteers must be 21 or over and able to pass a background check. One full day of pre-service training is required.
