Elizabethtown, NC – In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Guardian ad Litem program is issuing a call to action for residents of Bladen County to stand against child abuse and take action to support children who have been abused or neglected.
At any given time, the cases of over 10,000 children are in the state’s abuse, neglect, and dependency courts. Most of them are in foster care or other out-of-home placements. These children come into the child welfare system through no fault of their own.
“The needs of North Carolina’s children coming into care are more complicated than ever before, and life in foster care can be chaotic,” and “Every child deserves the support of caring, consistent adult with the training to help them heal and thrive.”
Throughout the month of April, the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program is calling on members of the community to help our program serve more of Bladen County’s most vulnerable children.
Without intervention, the odds are stacked against children in foster care. A child with a (Guardian ad litem (GAL)) volunteer, however, will leave the foster care system two-and-a-half months earlier, on average, compared to a child without a (GAL) volunteer. Studies show children with a (GAL) volunteer receive more services that are critical to their well-being than children without an advocate, and those children are more likely to achieve educational success.
“NC GAL volunteers are a constant for the child in a time of chaos,” said Jackie B. Williams, Supervisor. “A child may have multiple social workers, attorneys, therapists and foster placements throughout the life of the case but only one GAL volunteer, which can make all the difference for the child’s future.”
Bladen County GAL Program is a member of the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem program, a statewide network of programs in all 100 counties across North Carolina. At the heart of the movement are over 5,000 highly trained volunteers who advocate for the best interests of more than 17,000 of North Carolina’s children who have been abused or neglected. In Columbus County North Carolina, there are 6 volunteer advocates fighting for the best interests of 32 children but 7 more children need the care and support of a GAL volunteer.
For more information about the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program in Columbus County, visit volunteerforgal.com or call 910-641-3095.
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