Every child deserves someone in their corner

When a child becomes involved in Vermont’s juvenile court system, there are often many adults involved in the decisions that will affect that child’s life. Parents, attorneys, social workers, court professionals and others may all have important roles to play.

But in the middle of all of that, there is one perspective that can be difficult to fully understand from a courtroom: the child’s.

That is where Vermont’s volunteer Guardians ad Litem come in.

Guardians ad Litem, commonly known as GALs, are trained community volunteers who are appointed by the court to advocate for the best interests of children involved in juvenile proceedings. Their role is unique. They are not the child’s attorney, they do not represent the Department for Children and Families, and they are not there to take the place of a parent.

Instead, they get to know the child.

They listen. They ask questions. They learn about the child’s circumstances, relationships, needs and hopes. They talk with the adults and professionals involved in the child’s life and gather information that may otherwise be difficult for the court to see.

And then they bring that perspective back to the court.

A different kind of courtroom advocate

The work of a GAL rarely begins in a courtroom.

It begins with a conversation, a visit, a phone call or simply taking the time to listen.

A GAL might meet a child at home, at school or in another setting where the child feels comfortable. Over time, the volunteer develops an understanding of the child’s circumstances and the challenges the child is facing.

That relationship matters.

Children involved in court proceedings may be experiencing circumstances that are complicated, stressful and sometimes frightening. They may have experienced significant changes in their homes, schools or relationships. They may have difficulty understanding what is happening around them or finding the words to explain what they need.

A GAL provides another adult who is there specifically to pay attention to those things.

The volunteer’s responsibility is not necessarily to advocate for what the child wants. Rather, the GAL works to understand the child’s situation and advocate for what they believe is in the child’s best interests.

That distinction is important — and so is the independence that comes with it.

Volunteers from communities across Vermont

One of the strengths of Vermont’s GAL Program is that it is built around people who live in the communities they serve.

GAL volunteers come from different backgrounds, professions and stages of life. They bring different experiences and perspectives, but they share a willingness to make a commitment to a child who needs an advocate.

They do not need to be lawyers.

They do not need to have a background in social work.

What they do need is the willingness to learn, to listen and to remain engaged in what can sometimes be a difficult and complicated process.

Before serving, volunteers receive training designed to prepare them for the responsibilities of the role. They are also supported throughout their service so that they do not have to navigate the work alone.

That combination — a committed volunteer, meaningful training and ongoing support — is at the heart of the program.

Why the need matters

Vermont’s courts cannot hear a child’s voice if there is no one there to help make sure that voice is understood.

That is why having enough trained and supported GAL volunteers across the state is so important.

The Vermont GAL Program serves children in juvenile proceedings throughout the state, and ensuring that every court has an adequate pool of volunteers requires an ongoing commitment to recruitment, training and retention.

It is not simply a matter of filling volunteer positions.

It is about building a statewide community of people who are prepared to take on an important responsibility and remain there for children during some of the most challenging periods of their lives.

The future of the GAL Program

The Vermont GAL Program is working to strengthen that volunteer network and ensure that the program is accessible, responsive and prepared to meet the needs of Vermont’s children.

That means looking at how the program recruits new volunteers, how it trains and supports them, and how it can make volunteering as meaningful and manageable as possible.

It also means raising awareness about what GALs actually do.

For many Vermonters, the first time they hear the term “Guardian ad Litem” may be when they encounter the court system themselves. But the work of GALs is something that communities across Vermont can support.

Every community benefits when children have adults who are willing to stand beside them.

Someone in their corner

Being a GAL is not always easy.

The cases can be complicated. The circumstances can be difficult. And the outcomes are not always simple.

But the role is important precisely because someone is willing to step into that complexity.

A GAL can be the person who notices something others missed. The person who asks one more question. The person who takes the time to understand what a child is experiencing. And, ultimately, the person who makes sure the child’s best interests remain part of the conversation.

That is the value of the Vermont Guardian ad Litem Program.

At its heart, the program is not really about courtrooms, paperwork or proceedings.

It is about children.

And it is about making sure that, when a child’s future is being decided, there is someone in the room whose responsibility is to make sure that child’s best interests are not lost in the process.

Every child deserves someone in their corner. Vermont’s volunteer Guardians ad Litem are there to help make that possible.

Interested in becoming a Guardian ad Litem? Please email [email protected] for more information on upcoming trainings.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Every child deserves someone in their corner.