Empower a Child's Future: Volunteer as a Guardian ad Litem Advocate in the Waterbury Region
Description
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.
Requirements
- Extensive training, supervision, and support provided by the Children in Placement team
- Completion of 40 hours of intensive training, with a 12-hour follow-up annually
- Assigned one case and remain with the case until it is closed, and final placement is successfully found for the child(ren)
Benefits
- Supporting children in state welfare
- Providing a trusted adult figure for children who may not have had someone advocate for their well-being
- Reducing the time Connecticut's abused and neglected children spend in the welfare system
Pay
N/A
Schedule
On average, volunteers spend approximately 2-5 hours per month working on a case.
Location
Please fill out this form
Application is available at www.childreninplacement.org