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Guardian ad Litem has joined the Social Revolution—Facebook

That’s right we did it, Mecklenburg Guardian ad Litem now has our very own Facebook page. Look us up, become a fan, stay alert of upcoming GAL events and let your friends and family know you’re are GAL Volunteer and supporter. 

Type “Mecklenburg Guardian ad Litem” in your Facebook search bar to view our page and become a fan!

 

 Greetings!

If you have arrived here, it is because you are at least curious about how you could help an abused or neglected child… and you can. Throughout North Carolina, we always need more volunteers to be a voice for the children who find themselves the subject of court cases. We provide training to make sure you are at ease in your role, and as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem you will be in court as a team member with a trained attorney advocate.

Since 1983, the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program has served the best interests of thousands of children. Many were able to return home, some now live with other family members, still others have been adopted. What we try to ensure is that all of the children we represent remain safe, and that their homes are permanent. 

In the past fiscal year, 4,618 trained volunteers served 17,701 children. These children were in court because a petition had been filed stating they were abused or neglected. These numbers were a significant increase over the preceding year, and a record number of hearings were scheduled – 38,828. We continue to need more volunteer Guardians ad Litem to meet the needs of these growing numbers of children.

Please take a few minutes to browse our pages. It takes a special person to be a Guardian ad Litem, but being a volunteer GAL will give you the opportunity to make a real difference in the life of a child.  Contact us if you are interested in making a difference.  We hope you will decide to join us - a child near you needs you. 

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The mission of the Guardian ad Litem Program is to provide trained independent advocates to represent and promote the best interests of abused, neglected, and dependent children in the state court system and work towards a plan that ensures that these children are in a safe, permanent home.

 

All abused and neglected children petitioned into the North Carolina court system receive excellent legal representation and effective advocacy which promote and protect their best interests through written, fact-based independent recommendations submitted to the court by concerned citizens known as Guardians ad Litem (GAL).  Under the guidance of professional staff, these GAL volunteers’ recommendations enhance judicial decision-making to ensure that each child-client has needed services and a safe, permanent home in the shortest time possible.

 

Guardian ad Litem is latin for “guardian for the proceeding.”  A Guardian ad Litem in North Carolina is a trained community volunteer who is appointed by a district court judge to investigate and determine the needs of abused and neglected children.  The Guardian ad Litem Volunteer makes recommendations to the court about services which focus on the needs of each child.  The Guardian ad Litem volunteer advocates for a permanent and safe home for every child within the shortest time possible.

  

 

• The GAL program advocates for abused and neglected children throughout Mecklenburg County.

• Nearly 900 children are currently receiving service from the GAL program. 

• About 224 community volunteers advocate for abused and neglected children in Mecklenburg County each month.

• Each month we advocate in more than 200 scheduled court hearings.

• Over 350 children are in court each month for abuse and neglect hearings.

• An average of 15 abuse and neglect cases open each month.

• There are still over 300 abused and neglected children in Mecklenburg county without a Guardian ad Litem Volunteer.

The need for volunteers has increased because of the continued rise of child abuse and neglect hearings in North Carolina - 38,828 in 2007. In the same year, the program, required by both federal and state laws, provided legal representation to more than 17,000 abused and neglected children in North Carolina.  Last year, GAL volunteers gave the state 886,656 hours of service in training and casework statewide (valued at more than $16.6 million).  The year also saw 4,618 volunteers participate in the GAL program.  Join us to make a difference!