FocusJune 2010

On May 20, 2010, fourteen newly trained volunteers stood before Judge Louis Trosch, and were sworn in as Guardians ad Litem. As he has said many times before, “This will be the hardest job you will love”. He reminded us all that we can sometimes get lost in the beaurocracy and red tape, but he encouraged the volunteers to focus on the prize, the child.

Five of the newly sworn volunteers are student interns, some of whom will carry cases and others whom will work in the office assisting Program Supervisors and Attorney Advocates.

To our new volunteers we say WELCOME and thank you for your commitment to children.

New Volunteers and Student Interns

New Guardians ad Litem

Back Row; Left to Right: Tammie Dawson, Erinique Longsworth, Chantelle Major, Randi Radziszewski, Jessica Davis, Naomi Raih, Meredith Haney, Janet Tucker

Front Row; Left to Right: Lori Hayden, Diana Fant Roary, Tammy Shah, Vivian O’Garra, Roxanne McDonald, Hailey Lathom

Inside this issue:

InternsRandi Radziszewski is a student at the University of Tampa working on a Bachelors in Criminology. She will work with Mary Shoaf during the summer assisting with unassigned cases and other projects.

Meredith Haney and Naomi Raih are both second year Master of Social work students from UNC Charlotte. They will both carry cases and will work in the office from May 2010 until May 2011.

Erinique Longsworth, Jessica Davis and Brenna Taylor are all students at the Charlotte School of Law. Brenna was trained in March 2010 and will work with Laurie. Erinique will work with Nita and Jessica with Matt. They are summer interns.

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Adoption Day 2

Court Report Training

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Attorney Report

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Book Study 3

MGALAF 3

Recruitment 3

April Statistics 4

Guardian ad Litem

Every year, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, we celebrate National Adoption Day by finalizing adoptions and celebrating with

Adoption Day – June 18, 2010 – 3:00 pm – Courtroom 6370speakers, arts and crafts and children’s photos. In 2009, Mecklenburg County, under the leadership of Chief District Court Judge Lisa Bell, added a mid-year Adoption Day in May. This gave the opportunity for more families to have a formal ceremony to finalize their adoptions. This year, we will celebrate on June 18,

2010 in courtroom 6370. The event begins at 3:00pm. GAL volunteers are welcome to attend. You should contact your Program Supervisor to confirm if any of your children’s adoptions will be final.

The Guardian ad Litem Office will assist children with making frames to insert

The times, they are a-changing. While identifying and contacting relatives of the children we represent has always been a priority, recent events and trends have made the timely location of family members of our children critically important.Sometimes problems can arise when extended family gets involved in abuse and neglect cases; many of these problems can be eliminated by simply making diligent efforts to identify, locate, and engage the extended

The Importance of Finding Relatives Early in a Case by Matt McKay, Attorney Advocate

families at the beginning stages of a case. Have you ever found yourself wondering why a long-lost relative only turned up after the child you represent has been cleared for adoption and after the child has bonded with their foster-adopt parents for several years? Have you ever found yourself hopelessly frustrated that social services seems willing to tear children from wonderful and devoted non-relative caregivers to instead parcel children out

to under-involved relatives like they were so many cheap family heirlooms?The tension involved in having to choose between relative and non-relative permanent caregivers for our children is only going to increase in the future. The best way to successfully resolve these issues, to the children’s maximum benefit, is to get the extended family’s participation in the children’s life settled as quickly as possible once the children come into custody. This means making every effort reasonably possible to find

Court Report Writing Training

Monday, June 14, 20105:30 – 9:30 pm

Government Center Conference Room 280

A light meal will be provided by the Mecklenburg Guardian ad Litem Advocacy Foundation

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Please attend this important training if you have not been recently sworn in or attended the training in March.

If your judge doesn’t order a family tree done at a non-secure hearing, then ask for it. If the judge won’t order it, then ask the parents to do one on your own. Once relatives are identifies, exhaust all possibilities to contact them and explain the situation the children are in. The idea is to get the extended families “off the fence” early in the process. The extra work dedicated to this task early in a case can save everyone involved many times its weight in

a photo taken on adoption day. Handprints will also be made to add to the adoption day quilt. Quilts from previous adoption days can be seen hanging in courtroom 8330.

Ashley was only three years old when she was taken from her mother -- too young to understand why she couldn't stay with the mother she adored and she could not possibly have realized that she was going to spend the next nine years bouncing from one foster family to another. As a small child she could not stand up for herself when the people that were charged with her care failed her. At twenty years old, her mother

Book Study in July and AugustLorraine was also too young to take responsibility for her two children or negotiate the legal system that tore apart her family. Three Little Words is Ashley's story, told in her voice, about the time she spent without Lorraine, and her search for someone to mother her. It contains all the passion and detail that can only come from someone who has experienced the foster care system from the inside.

The Guardian ad Litem Advocacy Foundation is continually working onfundraising to help support GAL Volunteers and children in foster care! Bags for Kids: Does your child need a suitcase or bag to help move their personal belongings? We have them! The program office has several suitcases andvarious other bags that are ready to be used by

Mecklenburg Guardian ad Litem Advocacy Foundation

the children you serve. These bags were previously donated by a local church and we are also working on getting more donated in the near future. Please contact the foundation by e-mailguardian@meckguardian.org or call (704) 577-2375. You can also stop by theGAL office during business hours and we can help you pick out a bag for your child!

MVP Food Lion: You can also help us help children in foster care by saving and shopping! It's easy! Sign up for an MVP Rewards Card with Food Lion. Visit: http://www.foodlionmvprewards.com/In 2 minutes you can create an online account, and then register to donate to us by entering in the GALA Foundation charity code 252206. The Foundation receives a donation when

Rotary ClubsShriners

Women’s AuxiliariesAlumni Clubs

Retirement AssociationsFraternal Associations

Masonic LodgesSororities

Ethnic AssociationsProfessional Associations Are you a member of a local civic group or

Help GAL Get the Word Out!social assoc. or know someone who is? Then you can help!GAL Volunteer Recruiter, Melissa Orr, has recently presented at the Rotary of South End, The Ballantyne Breakfast Club and The Rotary of South Charlotte with great success. She would

love to present at other clubs and organizations but needs your help. If you know of an organizations and/or the contact person, please contact Melissa at Melissa.p.orr@nccourts.org or via phone at 704.686.0090.

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GAL Summer Reading Group Three Little Words: A Memoir

by Ashley Rhodes-CourterISBN: 1416948074

Reading assignment: Begins in July

Discussion: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 6:45pmClub Room of the Apartments at Circle at South End222 East Bland St. Charlotte 28202

Contact melissa.p.orr@nccourts with questions and to RSVP

you buy Food Lion brands including Healthy Accents, Home 360, On The Go Bistro, Nature’sPlace, Smart Option, and Taste of Inspirations.Keep us updated on your fabulous recipes using FL brand products and watch out for news about the upcoming GALA Food Lion Brand Cook off.

Guardian ad Litem700 E. Fourth St. Suite 300Charlotte, NC 28202

Children:

Total New Children – 41Children leaving the system – 23Children assigned to volunteers – 693Children without volunteers – 214Total Children – 887

Volunteers:

Newly Sworn in Volunteers – 0Reactivated Volunteers – 0Volunteers left program – 6Total Volunteer Pool – 258

April Statistics

Volunteer Inquiries melissa.p.orr@nccourts.org

www.galcharlotte.com

Be a Voice for Children

The mission of the Guardian ad Litem Program is to provide trained independent advocates to represent and promote the best interests of abused, neglected, and dependent children in the state court system (foster care) and work towards a plan that ensures that these children are in a safe, permanent home.  

In 2009, over 352 trained volunteers participated in Charlotte’s Guardian ad Litem Program. Our attorney advocates and GAL volunteers represented 1,292 children at 4,497 family court hearings. 

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