One Step at a Time: The Rewarding Work of a Guardian ad Litem

What is a Guardian ad Litem? In plain terms, a Guardian ad Litem is a court-appointed advocate who represents the best interests of a child, or another vulnerable person, in a legal proceeding. In Florida’s dependency courts, that means standing up for children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected, and making sure their voice is heard at every stage of the case.

If you are looking for truly rewarding volunteer work, I cannot recommend the Guardian ad Litem Program highly enough. Reaching out to your local office may be one of the most meaningful calls you ever make.

How I found this work

When I graduated from college, someone mentioned that the local Guardian ad Litem office was hiring. I sent in my resume, went in for an interview, and was hired. I absolutely loved the work. After spending time helping to train volunteers, I felt called to do more, so I completed the training myself and became a volunteer advocate. My first role was representing children in dependency cases, and it shaped the way I have practiced law ever since.

What a Guardian ad Litem actually does

A Guardian ad Litem is often the one consistent, trusted adult in a child’s life while their case moves through the system. Judges, caseworkers, and attorneys may come and go, but the Guardian ad Litem stays. The job is to get to know the child, understand their situation, and speak up for what they need, both inside the courtroom and in their everyday life.

In practice, that can mean paying attention to a child’s physical, educational, emotional, and social well-being in addition to their legal needs. In Florida, volunteers are not on their own: each advocate is supported by a team that includes a program attorney and professional staff. Together, that team works toward a single goal, the child’s best interests.

The cases: dependency and Chapter 39

My introduction to Guardian ad Litem work was as an advocate for children in dependency cases. A dependency case usually begins when the Department of Children and Families (DCF) receives a report of abuse, abandonment, or neglect and investigates it. If that investigation supports the concern, a dependency petition is filed.

Dependency cases are civil matters, governed by Chapter 39 of the Florida Statutes. Sometimes, though, the underlying abuse, abandonment, or neglect is serious enough to also amount to a criminal offense, and a separate criminal case is filed alongside the dependency case. Through all of it, the Guardian ad Litem’s focus stays where it belongs: on the child.

You do not need a legal background

Here is the part I wish more people knew. You do not need to know anything about the legal system to become a volunteer Guardian ad Litem. You do not need to be a lawyer, and you do not need any special degree. The program provides the training, the support, and the team around you. What matters most is a willingness to show up, to listen, and to care about a child who needs someone in their corner.

If that sounds like you, please consider reaching out to your local Guardian ad Litem office. This work changed the course of my career and my life, and there are always children waiting for an advocate of their very own. In the end, that is what being a Guardian ad Litem is all about: helping a child, every step of the way.