Representing Florida’s Abused, Abandoned, and Neglected Children in Court and the Community.
What We Do
The Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office represents abused, abandoned and neglected children in court and the community. Through the collaboration of a multi-disciplinary team that always includes a Guardian ad Litem Attorney, child welfare professional, and hopefully a trained volunteer or pro bono attorney from the child’s community, our team provides quality, independent legal representation for abused, neglected, and abandoned children while assisting the child in expressing their needs and wishes. Our unique approach allows us to support the whole child, addressing their physical, educational, mental, emotional, social, and legal needs.
Every child appointed to the Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office is assigned a Guardian ad Litem Attorney. The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office is a Guardianship type of legal representation. In Florida, we recognize that children cannot make decisions for themselves that involve their health and safety. Guardians ad Litem must provide all information to the judge about the child and advocate for what is in the child’s best interest.
In Florida, according to state statute, a Guardian ad Litem can be a certified volunteer, staff attorney, contract attorney, certified pro bono attorney, court-appointed attorney, Guardian ad Litem Office staff, or a responsible adult who is appointed by the court to represent the best interests of a child in a court proceeding as provided for by law, including, but not limited to, Chapter 39 of the Florida State Statutes, who is a party to any judicial proceeding as a representative of the child, and who serves until discharged by the court.
Guardians ad Litem become people our most vulnerable children can trust, helping us be their voice. As a team together, we provide powerful, effective, high-quality advocacy with one goal: that every child finds a safe, loving, permanent home where they can thrive.
You can be a part of Florida’s award-winning, state-funded child advocacy organization and make a difference in a child’s life. Learn more about how you can become involved or support the Florida Guardian ad Litem Foundation, which provides support and additional resources for children represented by the Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office.
Our Mission:
To provide the most vulnerable children in Florida with an adult from their community who will be a consistent, positive presence in the child’s life as part of a multi-disciplinary team that includes an attorney, child welfare professional and hopefully a community volunteer providing the highest quality community advocacy and legal representation to protect each child’s legal interests. To provide dependency judges with thorough and accurate information regarding the children under the court’s jurisdiction.
