Guardian ad Litem- Guilford County

Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts program. The District Juvenile Court System appoints volunteer Guardians ad Litem teamed with an attorney to advocate for children who have been abused and/or neglected and are in the custody of the local Department of Health and Human Services. 

Help us ensure every child in Guilford County who has been abused or neglected has a voice in the court system and volunteer to be a GAL.

Guardian ad Litem volunteers serve as court-appointed advocates and the voice for children in the juvenile court system.  GALs perform an independent investigation into the circumstances of these children’s lives, facilitate their needs being met by helping locate community resources, and advocate that those services be put into place. Furthermore, GALs attend court hearings on behalf of the child to report to the Court what is in the child’s best interest concerning their life. GALs serve until the child is out of the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services and into a safe, permanent home. 

GALs visit with the child once per month and make contact on a regular basis with the other pertinent people in their life to help advocate for their best interest.  Most GALs spend 12-15 hours per month performing their duties as a court-appointed advocate. The time spent volunteering is flexible and built around the GAL’s schedule.

The process of becoming a GAL volunteer includes an application, background check, interview, and training. Our next training begins in September 2024, so apply now if you are interested!