LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More than half the counties in Kentucky need people to review cases of children in foster care. Volunteers make recommendations to state agencies on what they think is best for the community’s most vulnerable children. 

What You Need To Know

  • There are 67 counties in need volunteers to help review foster care cases

  • Nolia Batey, a volunteer, said it’s a very rewarding experience

  • The chair of the state citizen foster care review board’s executive committee said it doesn’t take much time

Nolia Batey likes to speak for those that don’t have a voice, which is one reason she recused her dog, Middy. It’s also why she volunteers for the citizen foster care review board in Louisville.

“I like to advocate for vulnerable populations. I’m an attorney. I do some animal law work, kind of speaking for people who can’t speak for themselves,” Batey said. “And foster kids, for me, fall into that category. Kids in general, but foster kids in particular, because we don’t want them to fall through the cracks.”

As a volunteer for the last year, Batey said she reviews a child’s case and makes recommendations to the court on the child’s behalf. 

“‘Hey, judge, this child really needs to be in therapy… This child had an IEP (individualized education plan) at their old school. The IEP needs to have followed the child to the new school,’” Batey said, recalling how she’s advocated for foster kids.

The Administrative Office of the Courts says the program helped 12,947 children in out-of-home care last year—but to keep doing that, they said “desperately” need help.

Batey said she feels she is holding the state accountable by making sure the children are well taken care of by the state. 

“Like I said, you get to know them, you become familiar with their situations and it yeah, you can’t help but want to know every month, how’s that kid doing?” she said. 

Steven Farr, the chair of the state citizen foster care review board’s executive committee, said it’s a rewarding opportunity that takes up a negligible amount of your time.

“Most boards meet once a month, maybe half a day, maybe a full day, depending on their caseload. But it’s once a month. And just knowing that you’re being able to help these children who are at a very, very vulnerable place in their lives," Farr said. 

He has been volunteering with for the program for the last 15 years and he said the program does make a difference.

“We’ve had a number of judges around the state tell us that when they get ready to prepare to review a child’s case, they open the file and the first thing they look for is the report that came from the citizen foster care review board,” he said. 

Batey said when she first started, she wasn’t sure how long she was going to stick with it, but she said she it’s been very rewarding.

“The child may never know who I am or that I’ve advocated on their behalf, but it feels really good to know that maybe I played some small role in making a really, really awful time for the child just a little bit better,” she said. 

A short amount of time can make a tremendous difference in a child’s life.

Those interested can apply to volunteer at the Kentucky Court of Justice’s website. Applicants will be screened and, if approved, scheduled for training.