More than 9,000 children and young adults are in state custody in Massachusetts under the Department of Children and Family Services. These young people have experienced abuse and/or neglect and are living in temporary situations.

The Foster Care Review Unit makes decisions regarding children who have been in foster care for six months or longer, assessing how well their needs are being met and what progress has been made toward establishing them in a permanent living situation. A volunteer from the Community is one member of the three -person panels that make these decisions.

Volunteers are needed in Boston and Metro Boston areas including Arlington, Cambridge, Chelsea, Dorchester, Hyde Park and Roxbury.

Case reviews typically last for 30 to 90 minutes. Volunteers need to be 18 years or older and must participate in a day-and-a-half training.

For an application and further information, contact Kim Sheppard at kimberly.sheppard [at ] state.ma.us or 617-748-2294.

This announcement was published Monday, Jan. 12, 2015.