EVERETT — Jessica Gurley is recruiting big hearts.
Compassionate volunteers are needed to advocate for children who have been removed from their homes because of alleged abuse and neglect. Gurley oversees the county’s volunteer guardian ad litem program.
State and federal laws require that all children who are dependents of the state Department of Social and Health Services be appointed a guardian. Children rely on the volunteers to be their voice in court proceedings, Gurley said.
The guardians’ sole purpose is to represent the best interests of the children, she said. They conduct independent investigations and make recommendations to judges about the child’s living situation. The program aims to help social workers and judges find the child a safe and permanent home.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Linda Krese is grateful when a case she is reviewing has reports from a guardian. Generally the volunteers put a great deal of work into the reports, interviewing multiple people and visiting the children frequently, she said.
Judges make decisions that can impact families and children forever, Krese said. She appreciates having the input from the guardians to help her make those tough decisions.
“Their recommendations are helpful. They often add details that remind me that we’re dealing with real kids, not just a hypothetical on paper,” Krese said.
The judge said there is no way the county could afford to pay people to do what the volunteers do.
There are about 1,300 active dependency cases in Snohomish County. The guardian program received nearly 400 new cases since January.
“We always have a shortage of volunteers here,” Gurley said.
The program needs “people with a heart to see children succeed,” she said. Volunteers must be 21 and older and undergo criminal background checks. Guardians are asked to stay with a case from start to finish. Cases can take anywhere from six months to over a year. Volunteers typically are needed about 15 hours a month but that can vary depending on the complexity of the case. Some work can be done from home, Gurley said.
“It’s a big commitment,” Krese said. “I think it is rewarding. It really is important work.”
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley.
More info
To learn more about Snohomish County Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program, call 425-388-7854 or e-mail csu@snoco.org. Applications are available on the county’s website. The next training session is scheduled to begin Jan. 31.
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