The North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program equips community volunteers to serve abused and neglected children by advocating for their best interests in court.
The role of Guardian ad Litem advocates is to:
- Protect and promote the best interests of juveniles in abuse and neglect court proceedings
- Conduct independent investigations to determine the facts, needs of the child, and the resources appropriate to meet those needs
- Report the wishes or preferences of the child and make recommendations to the court
- Advocate for abused and neglected children in every county of the state