About CAS
Children who grow up in safe environments with stable families have the best chance of becoming capable, self-sufficient, and productive adults.
Children who grow up in safe environments with stable families have the best chance of becoming capable, self-sufficient, and productive adults.
Changing lives, Building Families, Strengthening Communities
We work to build and strengthen these stable families through a community of expert care and support for youth, parents, children, and the professionals who help them.
Our Guiding Principles
Relationship-Building
We believe connection is the catalyst for positive change. We foster relationships between family members, families/individuals, and their peer support networks, and families/individuals and the mentors and professionals who support them.
Education
We provide educational and training opportunities for all members of the family support ecosystem, from prospective adoptive parents curious about the adoption process to school teachers working with trauma-affected youth to social workers and other professionals seeking Continuing Education (CE) credits.
Strategic Partnerships
We partner with the Alabama Department of Human Resources and key support organizations that allow us to provide direct support to families in need.
Our Mission
Changing Lives, Building Families, Strengthening Communities
Our Vision
A safe and loving home for all.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Building stronger communities by honoring our unique life experiences and intentionally working toward equal opportunities and inclusion for all.
Children’s Aid Society of Alabama (CAS) is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences. These differences provide an important foundation for success in working within our communities.
All of us have a responsibility to engage others with dignity and respect. All employees are expected to exhibit inclusive behavior at work, on or off the work site. All employees are required to attend and complete annual diversity awareness training to enhance their knowledge and understanding. Furthermore, this vision and the goals below require an ongoing effort by all. Any employee who has experienced discrimination should seek assistance from a supervisor or HR.
Based on the foundation of Trauma Informed Care we recognize that everyone’s experience is unique and matters. Our aspiration is to create an inclusive and equitable culture where all voices are valued, and employees feel safe to express their opinions, concerns, and suggestions. We recognize courageous conversations are often uncomfortable and respect each other’s right to participate or decline involvement.
Goals of the CAS Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Task Force
- Cultivate a culture that is conducive to courageous conversations
- Hear the voices and needs of those who may have been marginalized
- Identify organizational priorities to address inclusion needs
- Review the language in CAS policies and other communications
- Assess CAS culture through employee feedback such as surveys and discussion groups
- Prioritize inclusive recruitment strategies
- Review agency event planning for inclusivity
- Identify and recommend social justice training priorities
- Raise awareness of social justice needs and opportunities in our community
- Recognize staff who demonstrate these ideals
Our History
More than 100 years of dedicated service.
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1910-1940s
Founded in 1912, Children’s Aid Society of Alabama (CAS) has been a pillar of support for children in our community. We were established as a pioneer of child welfare by Lilian “Deedie” Orr and a group of caring Alabama citizens who shared deep concerns for the wellbeing of children, even before the formation of the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). Notable achievements: - Licensed as a DHR Child Agency (1943) - Founding member of UWCA (1923) - Founding member of the Child Welfare League of America (1920)
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1970s
Throughout the decades, CAS has developed specialized programs to address the unique challenges faced by families in Alabama. In the 1970s, we pioneered initiatives for teen parents, homemakers, adoptive families, and families in need of respite care for children with special needs. Notable achievements: - 16th US agency to be accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) (1978)
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2000s
In 2002, we were awarded our first grant by the federal Department of Health and Human Services to fund Project Independence, a transitional living program for pregnant and parenting homeless youth and their children. With Beeson funds allocated through the Junior League and Canterbury United Methodist Church, we created Grandparents Raising and Nurturing Daily in 2005 to support grandparents raising their grandchildren. This was the precursor to kinship care in Alabama, which was added to Alabama DHR in 2010.
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2010s-Present
In 2010, we began providing services to youth aging out of the foster care system through a contract with the Department of Human Resources. Through training camps and conferences, youth were taught career planning, budgeting, and skills to transition into young adulthood successfully. In 2021, the Jefferson County Policy Cooperative asked CAS to take its volunteer-led Child Trafficking Solutions Project under its umbrella and to seek funding to hire staff. CAS accepted, and in 2022, the CTSP officially became our newest program. Funding was sought from and awarded by grants from the Children’s Trust Fund, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, and the Walker Community Foundation. Notable achievements: - Trauma-Informed Care Organization (2015)
Partners in the Work
