Caldwell County officials, Guardian ad litem program seek volunteers as 109 of 143 children lack advocates

Paige Counts, Caldwell County public information officer, introduced representatives of the Guardian ad litem program and said the county is highlighting a volunteer recruitment push after program staff reported that of 143 children the district serves, 109 currently do not have a volunteer advocate. "Hello, I'm Paige Counts, public information officer for Caldwell County," Counts said at the start of the segment.

Program representatives Tanya Matcha and Jennifer Bowman described the Guardian ad litem program as a court-based advocacy service that assigns trained volunteers to speak on behalf of children involved in abuse and neglect proceedings. They said volunteers provide a stable, long-term point of contact for children and supply the first-hand information that the program's attorney advocate uses in court.

The representatives said volunteers come from varied backgrounds — students, working adults and retirees — and that the program asks volunteers to maintain at least monthly contact with the child, placement providers and social workers. Staff said volunteers generally commit for at least a year and remain involved until a child achieves permanence, whether that means returning home, placement with a relative or adoption.

Program staff emphasized that volunteers need not have legal training and that attending court in person is not required in every case; an attorney advocate (identified in the segment as Elizabeth Spielman) provides courtroom representation and can work directly with volunteers during hearings. The program offers training that covers court processes, how to prepare a court report and what volunteers should expect from hearings.

To lower barriers for working volunteers, the district uses a "flex" virtual training format: one evening per week for six weeks, supplemented by online work. Staff announced the next training will start April 7, with a likely follow-up training in August, and provided a contact number for questions and sign-up: 828-759-3521. The program said trainings rotate across a three-county district to reduce travel burdens.

April is both Child Abuse Prevention Month and Volunteer Appreciation Month; the district plans a picnic for volunteers and their families with service awards and raffles to recognize the work volunteers do. Program staff said their goal is to reach full coverage and estimated a need for roughly 100 additional volunteers in the district to close the current gap.

Staff asked civic groups, churches and community organizations to invite program representatives for presentations and outreach; they encouraged anyone curious about the role to contact the program and consider taking the training even if they later determine the role is not a good fit. The segment closed with Counts thanking the guests and urging residents to learn more about the volunteer opportunity.