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More than 125 children in Rutherford County need an adult to stand up for them. According to the Rutherford County, NC Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program, these foster children need advocates to go to court with them, to help them in situations where they need adults to give them advice.
"They need a voice," said Angie Cox, director of the Guardian ad Litem program.
There are plenty of children in need, but not enough volunteers, she explained from her office in Rutherfordton recently.
Cox said there is a great need for more volunteers who will be an advocate for Rutherford County children who are in foster care.
"There is such a need. Many hearts are broken, some of these children need an advocate right out of the hospital, after birth," she said.
About five years ago Linda Bradley of Forest City made a decision to become a GAL and highly recommends others to become involved.
"I am so glad I am doing this. It's just, well you feel good when I think I am helping children," she said.
"We need more GALs and definitely more foster homes," she said
Bradley said she tries to visit her five children at least once a month and sometimes if necessary, she will make additional visits.
"During the pandemic we didn't get to visit," she said.
She talks to her "children" and their foster parents on a weekly basis.
"I try to stay on top of things," she said.
If necessary the GALs also go to court with the children.
"Sometimes that scares a lot of people off from becoming a volunteer. You don't have to go to court many times. The majority of the time, reports have already been sent to court," she said.
"I haven't had to take the stand, but I have had to answers questions," she said.
To become a GAL interested person must go through training.
Beginning January 23, 2023, there will be six weeks of training for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer.
The online training is six weeks for approximately 30 hours, Cox said.
After training, volunteers will be placed with a child of the volunteer's choice, if it is possible.
"A volunteer can choose the case and can be as engaged as they want," Cox said. Usually a volunteer will see the child once a month.
"It all depends on what the volunteers want to do," she said, in providing the child what they need.
Some volunteers are advocates for more than one child. Some speak up in court for one to five children, Cox said.
During the past few years, Bradley has been an advocate for five children.
GAL volunteers in Rutherford County were honored at a Christmas party recently.
Cox said interested volunteers can receive more information at volunteerforgal.org, or contact Cox at 828-288-6197.
What is a GAL?
A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) advocate is a trained community volunteer who is appointed, along with a Guardian ad Litem attorney, by a district court judge to investigate and determine the needs of abused and neglected children petitioned into the court system by the Department of Social Services.
Throughout North Carolina, the Guardian ad Litem Program seeks to serve the best interests of thousands of children who find themselves the subjects of court cases by assigning them Guardian ad Litem volunteers. The program exists in every county in North Carolina, and with the help of more than 5,300 volunteers, more than 18,000 children a year are served.
Established by statute in 1983, the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program has been serving abused and neglected children for more than 30 years.
The collaborative model of GAL attorney advocates, volunteers, and staff ensures that all North Carolina children who are alleged by the Division of Social Services to have been abused or neglected receive GAL legal advocacy services.
