| Q. | What is a Guardian ad Litem? |
| A. | A
Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a trained volunteer who is appointed by the
court to advocate for the best interests of an abused or neglected
child. In court, the GAL serves as an important voice for the
child. |
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| Q. | Who can be a Guardian ad Litem? |
| A. | Guardian
ad Litem volunteers come from all walks of life and have a variety of
professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds. No special education
or experience is required. |
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| Q. | How will I know what to do? |
| A. | The
Guardian ad Litem offices across the state use a nationally-recognized
training program. You will learn all about the court system and your
role in it so that you can be confident when you take your first
case. |
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| Q. | Is being a Guardian ad Litem dangerous? |
| A. | We
would never ask you to do anything or go anywhere that makes you feel
unsafe. You can take a social worker, another GAL, staff member, or
police officer on a home visit if you need to. You can also arrange
meetings in public places, such as a restaurant or a DSS office. |
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| Q. | I work full time. Can I still be a Guardian ad Litem? |
| A. | Many
of our volunteers have full-time jobs. Much of the work can be done on
the weekend, in the evening, or on the telephone. You would need your
employer’s permission to take off work when you have a court date
(every three to six months, depending on the case). |
| |
| Q. | What is the time commitment for a Guardian ad Litem? |
| A. | The
initial training program takes 25-30 hours to complete, usually in the
evenings or on the weekends. After you are assigned a case, you will
spend 10-15 hours per month interviewing parties, reviewing reports,
attending court (if scheduled that month), and visiting with the child.
The time commitment varies from case to case. |
| |
| Q. | How many cases do I have to take? |
| A. | We
have no minimum number of cases for volunteers. Each GAL volunteer
accepts only as many cases as he/she has time to handle. |
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| Q. | Would I be liable for my work? |
| A. | The
North Carolina General Statutes shield volunteers from liability: “Any
volunteer participating in a judicial proceeding … shall not be civilly
liable for acts or omissions committed in connection with the
proceeding if he acted in good faith and was not guilty of gross
negligence.” N.C.G.S. § 7A-493. |
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| Q. | How is the Guardian ad Litem different from a social worker? |
| A. | The
social worker represents the Department of Social Services (DSS), which
has legal custody of the child or children involved. DSS is concerned
with ensuring the safety of the child(ren), and is charged with finding
a permanent caregiver for the child, whether it is the parent(s), other
relatives, foster care, adoption, or some other safe placement. As a
Guardian ad Litem, you focus entirely on the child, advocating for
special services, investigating community resources, and being the
child’s voice in court. |
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| Q. | Will I have to testify in court? |
| A. | It
is a possibility. Most of the time, the people who will be called to
testify are those with first-hand knowledge, such as the social worker
or a doctor. If you do have to testify, the Attorney Advocate and the
GAL staff will prepare you thoroughly. |
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| Q. | I worry that the parents will resent me and be uncooperative. |
| A. | It
comes as a surprise to many people that the parents are usually more
than glad to tell their version of the events that have caused this
case to come before the court. As a GAL, you are just asking questions
and listening at the outset, and most parents do not find this
threatening. |
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| Q. | May I take the child to a museum or a ball game? |
| A. | No.
Your role is not to provide services, but to investigate and observe,
and to be an advocate. That in itself is an important gift to the
child, but it requires good judgment, objectivity, and a clear
understanding of your role. For this reason, you also must not give
significant gifts to the child. |
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