Guardian ad Litem program relies on volunteers to help families in crisis.
As a division of the South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy, the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program provides a court-appointed GAL to every child with a neglect or abuse case in the South Carolina Family Court.
“A GAL serves as the voice for a child,” says Susan Runnells, who is both a guardian and the secretary of The Friends of the Greenville County Guardian ad Litem Program. “As a guardian, I listen to a child and then tell the judge what that child needs.”
This includes engaging with the child’s family, doctors, social workers, and teachers to form a holistic understanding. GALs gather information, assess complex situations, and present recommendations to the court.
“We work for the children, not the parents,” Runnells says. “We make sure each child is safe. We ask them what their wishes are. The children tell us things that they won’t tell their parents or their teachers or their doctor. They’re usually very reasonable, and typically want to get back with their parents.”
Through house visits, observations, and one-on-one engagement, GALs seek what’s best for each child. “We investigate,” says Runnels. “We do our due diligence. We assess their medical, psychological needs, and their scholastic needs. If they’ve been removed from their parents, I visit the parents once a month.”
A guardian’s job is to advocate, and their goal is to protect children and, when possible, reunify families.
“The process is very much a dialogue,” says Megan Stevens, county director for the Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem program. “We work primarily for the children, and that sometimes means the parents–the whole family–gets to heal as well.”
Erin Petrella, recruitment and training program coordinator, adds, “We start with talking. ‘Tell me how you got here? How did this come about? Tell me your story.’ We find that both children and parents really, really want to talk. They want to be heard.”
How to Get Involved
The state-funded Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem program is run by a small administrative staff, most of whom serve many roles. There are currently 162 volunteer guardians serving 726 children in Greenville County. The need is enormous.
“We operate mostly with volunteers,” notes Petrella. “Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do what we do. There is just too much need for children’s advocacy in Greenville.”
Volunteers undergo 30 hours of National Court Appointed Special Advocates/Guardian Ad Litem-certified training, which includes observing court proceedings, analyzing case studies, and running through real-life scenarios.
“Guardians come from all walks of life,” says Petrella. “We have attorneys, doctors, educators, and full-time moms and dads. We have people from the business realm.”
According to Tara Perry, CEO of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (CASA), training goes beyond processes and procedure to focus on “critical thinking, self-awareness, respect for all points of view, for the rights and dignity of all children and for effective collaboration with the court and others in the child welfare system.”
“When you apply to volunteer,” says Petrella, “we let you know that we’re asking you to commit to the children, not the Guardian ad Litem program. When you’re appointed to a case, you are committing to the children in that case, from start to finish.”
“Volunteers have control over the work that they do with us,” says Stevens. That includes choosing how many cases they take on.
Become a Guardian ad Litem
Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem offers two training options that cover essential aspects of becoming a GAL.
Traditional 30-hour training: Interactive classes that meet once or twice per week for a total of eight sessions.
Flex Training: 15 hours completed online at your convenience. 15 hours of in-person sessions, once a week for five weeks.
Upcoming trainings are scheduled to begin Oct. 17 and Nov. 6
For more information, go to gal.sc.gov or call 800.277.0113.
