Lenoir County Guardian ad Litem program highlights child advocates during prevention month
North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program 9th Judicial District in Lenoir County Focuses on Supporting Families during National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Child Advocate Month, and North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program 9th Judicial District is raising awareness of the need for more dedicated members of the community to step up and become Guardian ad Litem child advocate volunteers, and help end child abuse and neglect, through supporting children and their families.
North Carolina GAL volunteers are everyday people from all walks of life who are recruited and specially trained to advocate for children in foster care and provide a consistent, reliable adult presence for them during a difficult time in their life.
“Being a Guardian ad Litem means being a steady, constant presence in a child’s life when so much around them is scary and changing.” said Mary Dugan, Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Advocate “Caseworkers change, homes change, and situations change… but we don’t. Over time, you build a relationship, and there’s nothing quite like seeing a child’s face light up when they see you walk in- knowing they recognize someone who is there just for them. While everyone else involved has other responsibilities and competing priorities, your focus is always the child - their voice, their needs, their best interest. Recently, I had a case close with adoption after almost three years. It was emotional and so fulfilling — and we’re still in touch, a bond for life.”
GAL Volunteer Advocate, Mary Dugan
North Carolina GAL volunteers are assigned to one child or sibling group to advocate for their best interest in court, in school and in other settings. They get to know the child, and everyone involved in their life, such as their parents and other family members, foster parents, therapists, case workers and teachers, in order to develop a realistic picture of the child’s unique situation. They engage those important to the child and family in order to build a network of support around them, so that the family has access to support and resources after the case ends. They make recommendations to the judge overseeing the child’s case, with the goal of ensuring that the child is safe and the family has the resources, support and healthy relationships needed to heal.
This April, consider stepping up to make a difference by becoming a GAL volunteer advocate. “There is always a need for more GAL volunteers,” said GAL Program Specialist Laura Rivera. “By becoming a volunteer, you can take your efforts beyond just awareness and do your part to help support children and families in crisis right here in our community.
When reunification is not a possibility for the children they serve, NC GAL volunteers work to find others that can provide a positive, healthy and loving environment. These can include relatives, friends or other adults that are important in the child’s life—keeping a child connected to their home community.
“We at the 9th Judicial Guardian ad Litem program are grateful for our GAL volunteers who are changing lives by providing children a voice in court,” said Rivera. “We will continue to seek more members of the community to join our growing movement so that we can provide a GAL volunteer for every child who needs one.”
GAL District 9 staff and GAL Volunteer Advocates pictured during the December 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. If you see abuse, report it to your local DSS agency. If a child’s life is in danger, call 911. For more information on GAL, visit www.volunteerforgal.org or call our local offices 252.520.5452 or 919.722.6300. The next training session for GAL volunteer advocates will begin virtually on May 7th, 2026.
