In 2007 William Bell, President of Casey Family Programs, shared thoughts with a small gathering of advocates for children convened by Harvard Law School and The American Bar Association. His remarks on that occasion deeply influenced my editorial approach to foster care, child abuse and neglect, and to dealing with the nearly 3 million cases of abuse and neglect of young people filed each year.

"Our tendency is to view and engage children in the context of making sure that the systems respond appropriately," Mr. Bell said. "It's my contention that we should be viewing our actions through a different lens; we should be viewing them through the lens of our own children; what we at Casey Family Programs have called 'The Standard of Our Own.'"

Paraphrasing Bell: What is required is a community of people around these young victims of abuse and neglect who are willing to hear their voices, and promote their best interests

Bell called them angels. "But in reality, they are just people like you and me."

"We're the ones who hold so much power, so much influence over what a foster child's life COULD look like," Bell said. " We're the ones who have the opportunity to know every child; to understand their needs, and represent those needs along with judges, social workers, members of a family, and others.

"But we can only do that if we truly hear the voice of every child. It doesn't matter which of the titles we hold: parent, foster parent, case worker, CASA, attorney -- or judge—the responsibility doesn't change.

These are our children, and our responsibility is to do no less for them than we would for our own children."

At that meeting William Bell announced a major Initiative (20/20) which has as its goal reducing the number of children in foster care 50 per cent by the year 2020.

Each year Child Advocacy 360 has tracked its progress—quite remarkable considering the times. Here is good news, offering strong statistical evidence and real promise for the years ahread.

Please see our most recent story on Casey's 2020 Initiative, drawing upon their 2010 Annual Report.

—Hershel Sarbin