Could you be a Voice for a Child?
A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) advocate is a trained community volunteer who is appointed, along with a Guardian ad Litem attorney, by a district court judge to investigate and determine the needs of abused and neglected children petitioned into the court system by the Department of Social Services. Their role is mandated by North Carolina General Statute 7B-601. Throughout North Carolina, the Guardian ad Litem Program seeks to serve the best interests of thousands of children who find themselves the subjects of court cases by assigning them Guardian ad Litem volunteers. Our program exists in every county throughout the state, and with the help of more than 5,300 volunteers, we serve more than 18,000 children a year.
The GAL volunteer’s primary responsibilities include:
Digging for details in the case
Collaborating with other participants in the case
Recommending what’s best for a child by writing court reports
Empowering the child’s voice
Staying vigilant by constantly monitoring the case
Keeping all information confidential
The main qualification for becoming a GAL is to have a sincere concern for the well-being of children. There are no education or experience requirements.
Submit your application today at: volunteerforgal.org.