TLC Children’s Services is a 501(c)3 started with the assistance of the juvenile court, Georgia CASA, and concerned community citizens in Laurens County who saw a need to help abused and neglected children who were languishing in foster care. Their agency was incorporated in 1994 as The Laurens County Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, Inc. (CASA). Following the National CASA best-interest advocacy model, the first group of CASA volunteers was carefully recruited, screened, and trained to prepare them to represent the best interests of children who were involved in juvenile court deprivation proceedings. The first volunteers were sworn in by the Juvenile Judge in 1995, and the program began accepting appointments to cases that same year. Following appointment by court order as guardian ad litem, CASA Volunteers, with the support of CASA staff, conduct independent investigations into the assigned child victim’s situation, make recommendations to the Court about what is in the best interest of the child, and remain involved with the case through monitoring and advocacy in both the courtroom and with other agencies serving the family until the child achieves permanency.
Beginning in 2001, the CASA program expanded into the other three counties in the Dublin Judicial Circuit and began doing business under the name TLC CASA to be more inclusive of all the counties being served. In 2006, the program began the process of expanding into the Oconee Judicial Circuit. In 2007, the CASA program grew again when they added the five counties in the Middle Judicial Circuit to their service area. Today, the TLC CASA program serves all fifteen counties in the Dublin, Middle, and Oconee Judicial Circuits which are located in middle Georgia. In 2011, following the addition of supervised visitation centers to the agency’s service array, the legally incorporated name of the agency was changed from The Laurens County Court Appointed Special Advocate Program to TLC Children’s Services, Inc. to better encompass all services and programs provided by the agency and all communities served. TLC CASA program staff serve CASA Volunteers and child abuse victims through their offices located in Dublin, Eastman, Sandersville, Swainsboro, and Vidalia. They are continuously recruiting additional CASA Volunteer Advocates to serve children in all fifteen counties.
The mission of TLC Children’s Services is to provide supportive services to abused and neglected children and their families, to improve outcomes for children, and to support children in having safe, permanent forever families. The Supervised Visitation Center program provides neutral, child-friendly facilities where children who are in out-of-home living situations due to abuse and severe neglect can spend quality time with their birth families. Children are able to maintain their connections with siblings, parents, and relatives who are important to them, and parents are supported in improving their parenting skill sets and are encouraged to work on reunification case plan goals. The program further advocates resources for children and families involved in dependency proceedings and promotes community awareness of the problems and solutions to child abuse and neglect.
TLC Children’s Services is an important asset that serves the community through community outreach and collaboration with DFCS, Family Connection, Emanuel County Schools, and other community citizens concerned about the welfare of children who have been abused and/or neglected. They are Chamber members because they want to be an active community partner and raise awareness for foster children in Emanuel County. TLC Children’s Services has been advocating for Emanuel County children in foster care since 2007, and their vision is a community in which every child who has been abused or neglected has a Volunteer Advocate to change that child’s story. A community in which every child has the opportunity to live and thrive in a safe and loving home.
Location:
Inside Emanuel County DFCS Office
143 North Anderson Drive
Swainsboro, GA 30401
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Call for appointment.
Phone Number: (478) 275-8100 x 6
Website: www.tlcchildrensservices.org
Social Media: Facebook (facebook.com/TLC-CASA) and Instagram (@tlc_casa)
