A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a trained community member appointed by a district court judge to investigate and determine the needs of abused and neglected children and youth petitioned into the court system by the Department of Social Services. The GAL is paired with an Attorney Advocate to represent the child’s best interest in court.
QUALIFICATIONS
A Guardian ad Litem possesses:
- A sincere concern for the well-being of children
- A commitment to advocate for a child until a safe and permanent home is established and court involvement is no longer required
- The ability to be objective and non-judgmental
- The ability to interact respectfully with people from diverse economic, educational, and ethnic backgrounds
- Good verbal and written communication skills
REQUIREMENTS
In order to become a GAL, you will need to complete:
- an application
- a screening interview with program staff
- a criminal record check
After acceptance into the program, GALs complete 30 hours of training before being sworn in by a judge and appointed to advocate on behalf of a child.
