- May 3, 2024
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Guardian Ad Litem volunteers speak on behalf of children who have been removed from their home after being abused, neglected or abandoned.
BY WAYNE GRANT | STAFF WRITER
In the Seventh Judicial Circuit, including Volusia, Flagler and Putnam counties, 1,016 abused, abandoned or neglected children are currently eligible for a court-appointed Guardian Ad Litem volunteer — but there are only volunteers for 698 of them.
That's why Guardian Ad Litem is currently seeking residents to volunteer their time for children who have been removed from their homes and in need of an advocate.
The children in these situations are living in foster homes while the court decides when or if they can return to their parents. The child sees lawyers, foster parents, case workers and judges, but the only "constant" in their lives, the only person who knows their needs and can represent their interests, is their Guardian Ad Litem volunteer.
People who volunteer locally, such as Robert Rhonehouse, of Ormond Beach, and Gary and Susan Fairley, of Palm Coast, say they feel they are making a positive impact on children’s lives. And while the work can certainly be challenging, they say, it’s also rewarding.
The Fairleys, a married couple, work as a team.
“One of us can talk to the foster parent or guardian while the other talks to the child,” Gary Fairley said. “People can pair up and volunteer as a team even if they are not married."
The volunteer visits the child regularly and gets to know them so they can determine the child’s needs and make recommendations to the court.
“When you go for a visit, you always come out smiling,” Susan Fairley said, “because the child is happy to see you.”
Gary Fairley said the training and mentoring make volunteers feel confident about doing their job.
“We have 30 hours of training,” he said. “After you start, a mentor goes with you to the home to visit the child, and to court, to help you get started. You can get assistance as long as you want.”
The program attorney helps the volunteer prepare for court.
Gary Fairly's favorite part of the job, he says, is seeing a family reunited, or when a child goes into a permanent adopted home.
In the hearings, parents and the court work to reach an agreement on how the parents can regain custody of the child. For example, it may be determined that the parents need drug counseling, or the child may need special tutoring or medical care.
The volunteer also speaks for the child during the proceeding.
Rhonehouse cited an instance where a foster family could take care of one child but not all three siblings in a family. The judge ordered that all three be transferred to the grandparents, who volunteered to take them. However, this would have forced one of the children to change schools only for a short period. Rhonehouse convinced the court to allow the child to stay with the foster parents during the week so she could attend school and stay with her siblings over the weekends.
“We make sure a child doesn’t fall through the cracks,” Rhonehouse said. “We’re like program managers. We oversee everything that goes on and makes sure the child’s needs are met.”
Rhonehouse began working as a volunteer two years ago because he wanted to make a real difference.
“I feel I’ve had a positive impact,” he said.
He said he often takes children out to the park or for ice cream.
“That’s when they really open up and tell you what’s on their minds,” he said.
Barbara Jacobi, Ad Litem circuit director, believes a volunteer should be passionate about the welfare of children.
She said that if a person handles one case, they must visit the child at least once a month and can expect to spend about eight hours per month with that child, although some cases require less time and some require more.
“We don’t overburden anyone,” Jacobi said.
Volunteers can also request a certain age group, from babies to teenagers.
The volunteers sometimes go beyond just helping the child in court, as well, serving as a shoulder to cry on, a mentor or a coach, Jacobi said.
“I can’t tell you how strong an influence they have on children,” she said.
