Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Advocate - Willimantic Region

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Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Volunteer Opportunity

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.

All GAL advocates are extensively trained, supervised and supported by the Children in Placement team to provide them with the best tools to support these children in state welfare. 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).

GALs are essential in ensuring that a child’s best interests are heard by the court; however, they also provide a support system and a trusting adult figure for these children, many of whom have never had someone advocate for their well-being.

Our GAL volunteers are genuine heroes, doing the work of reducing the time Connecticut's abused and neglected children spend in the welfare system. It is our goal to help find them a safe, stable and permanent home where they can flourish and truly live the childhoods they deserve.

Time Commitment~ 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.