Empower Child's : Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Advocate Waterbury Region and Nort

Overview

Children in Placement is a 501(c)3 non-profit that has been helping the children of Connecticut since 1979. We strive to be Connecticut’s recognized leader and, in this role, bring awareness, partnerships, resources and systemic policy changes supporting children and youth in accessing the supports they need to develop and eventually become successful adults.

Thousands of abused, neglected, and abandoned children become the subject of judicial proceedings each year in Connecticut. Their voices are often unheard, and their best interests overlooked in the court process. The main responsibility of a GAL volunteer is to serve as a friend of the court, acting on behalf of children in protective state custody, with the ultimate goal being the reduction in the time that these children await permanent placement.

When assigned a case, the GAL advocate is tasked with providing a thorough investigation to determine what is best for the child(ren), and this is completed by interviewing the child, parents and other family members, social workers, therapists, doctors, and educators. It is important that the GAL has a complete understanding of the situation to make the appropriate recommendations to the court.

• Serve as a friend of the court on behalf of children in protective state custody.
• Conduct thorough investigations to determine what is best for the child(ren).
• Interview the child, parents and other family members, social workers, therapists, doctors, and educators.
• Provide well-supported recommendations to the court based on gathered information.
• Remain assigned to a case until it is closed and final placement is found for the child(ren).

All GAL advocates are extensively trained, supervised and supported by the Children in Placement team. They are required to complete 40 hours of intensive training, with a 12-hour follow-up annually.

Volunteers are assigned one case and remain with the case until it is closed and final placement is successfully found for the child(ren).

This depends on the complexity of the assigned case. On average, volunteers spend approximately 2–5 hours per month working on a case, with most cases lasting between 3–6 months.