Working with Parents
The parents of children in foster care often have complex,
stressful lives and many have their own traumatic histories. We ask that you
approach parents with kindness and empathy, but to always keep the child’s best
interest as a primary focus. It’s not always as easy as it seems.
Here are some
suggestions that we discussed at a recent brown bag lunch.
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Make sure you are aware of the implied power
differential between you and the parent.
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Shame and guilt are not positive factors in
behavior change. Actively look for strengths.
- Don't argue or debate with parents. Ask open ended questions and actively listen.
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Avoid using contact with the child as an
incentive or punishment.
- Encourage parents to talk with their attorneys if they have legal questions or complaints.
https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime
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Nicole Roman
District Administrator
 Swearing In September 21, 2017
Eight new GAL Advocates were sworn in during September and October in Orange County. Welcome to:
- Max K
- Becky L
- Lies S
- Lynn N
- Beril S
- Tonesha C
- Emilee D
- Josh R
While our focus as GALs is on the best interest of the child, thinking about the challenges faced by parents provides a nuanced perspective that can be helpful when making recommendations. The links below provide food for thought:
Are parents who live in poverty held to an unrealistic standard of parenting? https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/opinion/poor-neighborhoods-black-parents-child-services.html?_r=0&referer=http://m.facebook.com
Is the goal of foster care to assist families or to punish them? https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/nyregion/foster-care-nyc-jane-crow.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
The impact of parental depression on parenting: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1101701160827&ca=477634d5-2e13-4e0f-9fe2-39e36e4ae19c
DSS from a parent's perspective: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/08/07/when-should-a-child-be-taken-from-his-parents
“Beyond the Bench” is a podcast about the legal system produced by the North Carolina Judicial College at the UNC School of Government. It is interview-based, with guests including judges, lawyers, professors, and citizens who have participated in court proceedings. Some interviews focus on guests’ personal experiences and opinions, while others explore discrete legal issues. The podcast is organized by season, with each season focused on a particular type of case.
Season 2 covers child abuse and neglect and DSS court. Here is a link to the session on the role of the GAL. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see links to other episodes: https://podcast.sog.unc.edu/2017/01/12/the-childs-voice-in-court-the-role-of-the-guardian-ad-litem/
Draft Orders: Reviewing draft court orders is an important part of
GAL advocacy. When you receive draft orders by email, please look
carefully at the orders of the court found on the last page of the document.
You will want to make sure that these orders reflect your understanding of what
the judge actually ordered. If there are any corrections needed, please
let Karen Davidson and your case supervisor know right away by email, as there is a very
small window of time (a day or two) to send in corrections.
Court Reports: Sending multiple versions of your court report to
your GAL supervisor can cause confusion and result in the wrong report being
sent out to attorneys. To avoid this, please send only one version of your
report to your supervisor. She will get back to you with any
suggestions. At that time, the two of you should agree who will input any
changes. When either of you make changes it is helpful to highlight them,
so that you can both see what has changed.
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Please let your
supervisor know as soon as possible if you are unable to attend your court hearing.
- Remember to silence your cell phone.
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In Chapel Hill, if there is a court recess, please give the attorneys the
priority for the
restrooms.
- Please wear business casual attire (no jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops, shorts,
revealing clothes, or clothes with slogans).
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