ABOUT GAL    About Us

In October 2003 the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program celebrated its 20th anniversary. The program was established by the General Assembly in 1983 to provide mandatory legal representation to abused and neglected children, and the judge has discretionary authority to appoint a guardian ad litem in dependency proceedings. The guardian ad litem and the attorney advocate are mandated by statute to protect and promote the best interest of the juvenile and to report to the court when the needs of the juvenile are not being met. The Juvenile Code, 7B-601, states that:

The duties of the guardian ad litem program shall be to make an investigation to determine the facts, the needs of the juvenile, and the available resources within the family and community to meet those needs; to facilitate, when appropriate, the settlement of disputed issues; to offer evidence and examine witnesses at adjudication; to explore options with the court at the dispositional hearing; and to protect and promote the best interests of the juvenile until formally relieved of the responsibility by the court.

By 1994 the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program was staffed in all of the judicial districts in our state and volunteers and attorneys were trained to represent children in neglect and abuse proceedings. There are currently 58 offices with trained program staff, volunteer guardians ad litem, and attorney advocates, in three regional areas of North Carolina: the Northeast, the Piedmont, and the West.

North Carolina's model of the joint appointment of an attorney advocate and a community volunteer has received national recognition for its effectiveness. The advocacy of the GAL focuses exclusively on the needs of the child and helps move the child out of the court system in a timely manner and into a safe and permanent home. This is critical for the child's well being. It also saves resources for the court system and the taxpayers of the state.

In 1997 the General Assembly created a Guardian ad Litem Study Commission that concluded there was overwhelming support for the program - 96% of the judges stated they relied heavily on GAL services and that GAL representation was necessary to serve the best interest of abused and neglected children. The Commission concluded that the child and the court system benefited greatly by having the guardian ad litem as a community voice in the court hearings. The GAL model represents a true public/private partnership.

Last year in North Carolina, 3800 GAL advocates represented about 16,000 children....giving the state 750,000 hours of volunteer service....a value of about $12 million dollars.