Brittany Preslar

GAL Volunteer
Robeson County, District 16B
North Carolina Judicial Branch
 Guardian Ad Litem volunteers are appointed by judges to represent the children’s
best interests in child abuse and neglect cases.
 GAL volunteers conduct independent investigations into children’s circumstances
to determine their needs and what recourses are available to meet these needs.
 Guardian Ad Litem volunteers have the power to influence what the court decides
about children in foster care.
 Through advocacy GAL’s help move children out of the court system in a timely
manner and into safe, permanent homes.
 North Carolina Guardian ad Litem equips community volunteers
to serve abused and neglected children by advocating for their
best interests in court.
 Our mission is to provide trained independent advocates to
represent and promote the best interests of abused, neglected,
and dependent children in the state court system and to work
expediently toward a plan that ensures these children are in a
safe, permanent home.
 The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1973,
required the appointment of a Guardian ad Litem in all abuse and
neglect proceedings.
 In 1977, North Carolina responded with its first GAL Statute, which
granted judges the authority to appoint attorneys as Guardians ad
Litem.
 In 1983, the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program was
established.
 Since beginning in 1983, Guardian ad Litem celebrates 35 years of
child advocacy.
 1. Commitment to Children
 2. Communications Built on Trust
 3. Circuit Empowerment
 4. Collaboration
 5. Courtesy
 The current need for Guardian ad Litem is to find more effective ways
to recruit volunteers.
 There is such a strong need for volunteers because in Robeson
County alone, there are at least 150 children who does not currently
have a GAL. This means these children are not being advocated for
and their voice is not being heard.
 https://volunteerforgal.org/menus/program.html
 https://guardianadlitem.org/wp-
content/uploads/2014/08/Standards_Final_2015.pdf