Staff Writer

Can you imagine what a child would feel like if they had to sit before a courtroom and speak on their own behalf in a child abuse case?

Thankfully children do not have to testify in court and a Volunteer Guardian ad Litem is the one who stands for the child and speaks when the child’s voice is silent.

In 1977 South Carolina passed the Child Protection Act which mandates both the appointment of a guardian ad Litem (which means “guardian at law”) and an attorney in child abuse and neglect cases.

Nikki Owens, county coordinator for the Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program, says that Fairfield County currently has eight children awaiting a child abuse or neglect case through the Department of Social Services in Fairfield County’s Family Court system.

A volunteer guardian ad Litem is an unpaid citizen who is appointed by a judge to speak in the courtroom on behalf of a child. They spend time with a child behind the scenes and are their advocates in the adult world of legal justice.

The Volunteer Guardian ad Litem program is a division of the governor’s office.

No special education is required and 30 hours of free training are given to all volunteers.

Volunteers must be 21 years old or over. The only real qualification, Owens says, it that they “care about children.”

She went on to say that at this time Fairfield County only has two volunteers.

Owens predicts that the program will need eight more volunteers in the near future.

Men in particular are needed right now, says Owens, but a diversity of people are needed to match with the variety of children that come through the courts.

After a thorough background check and training, the volunteers are asked to make a two year commitment since “cases can last up to two years”, Owens said.

Volunteers spend approximately four to six hours per month being advocates for these children.

Some time is spent visiting the child and some is spent in the court room giving information and communicating the child’s wishes concerning the case.

If you would like to give a child a voice, when they need it most, you may contact Nikki Owens at 803-635-5502 extension 439.