A guardian ad litem is a court-appointed guardian who advocates for a child’s rights in legal proceedings, but is unlikely to be someone the child lives with or even knows personally outside of the court system. When children are abused or neglected, the court system usually creates this position. In some cases, especially when parents are divorcing, the position can be particularly contentious. In some cases, the guardian is nothing more than a soothing voice for the child.
The most important qualification for being a guardian ad litem is a love for children and a desire to do what is best for them. The job is not easy and requires a significant amount of time. That time commitment may be sporadic, but it could be significant during some weeks. The guardian will be expected to research the situation and possibly make recommendations in addition to advocating in court.
While no formal education is required to become a guardian ad litem, there are a number of career options that are ideal for the position. Attorneys and court personnel who are familiar with family law may make good decisions. Also, those who work in social services would be good candidates for these jobs because they are already strong advocates for children and have their best interests at heart.
The application process for becoming a guardian ad litem is the first step. Those interested in this position should contact the local clerk of court, who should be able to direct them or have the applications on hand. After that, there will most likely be a background check and an interview process. For obvious reasons, those with significant criminal histories or incidents of child abuse or neglect will most likely be ruled out at this stage.
Following this initial application process, each jurisdiction’s requirements may differ slightly. However, some form of training will be required. The length and nature of this period may vary, but on average, it lasts about 30 hours. During this time, the applicant will learn about the role of the guardian ad litem, ethics, and the types of responsibilities they will be assigned.
After completing the training program, the only thing left to do is wait to be appointed as a guardian ad litem. The wait may be long or short, depending on the need. Those who have prior experience as such a guardian may be given more opportunities, but regardless of experience, opportunities will arise.