I want to share a wonderful volunteer activity that I have been doing for the past 18 months. I am a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in Buncombe County. As a GAL, I am a court-appointed advocate for a child who has been found by the court to be abused or neglected. Many of these innocents come from families struggling to break generational cycles of dysfunction due to substance abuse, domestic violence or untreated mental illness. Some are subject to emotional and physical abuse. Others are prenatally exposed newborns not only suffering the effects of withdrawal, but also separation from their mothers at a time of critical bonding.
Where do these children go, once they are removed from an unsafe situation? Some are placed with relatives, and many are placed with foster parents. As a GAL, I get to be the “fairy godmother” and can have a relationship with everyone: the assigned caregiver, social worker, biological parents, doctor, teacher, therapist and most importantly, the child.
In time, many children are reunited with one or two parents, but when reunification is not viable, the GAL helps explore another custodial arrangement by a family member or foster parent. GALs provide reports full of vital observations that are given for the court’s examination. These reports are respected as a “voice” for the child and are an important piece in determining their future…