2 Guardian ad Litem volunteers sworn in for Clarendon County

The Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program, a division of the South Carolina Department of Children's Advocacy, held a swearing-in ceremony for new Guardian ad Litem volunteers for the Clarendon County GAL Program on Tuesday, July 30, at Sumter County Family Courthouse.

Judge Thomas M. Bultman presided over the ceremony in which Francis "Frank" Hertkorn and Fabian Patterson took an oath to provide a voice for abused and neglected children involved in family court legal proceedings.

Hertkorn and Patterson join other dedicated Clarendon County community members who have been trained and are advocating for children in the family court system. The primary purpose of each GAL is to represent the best interests of the child during court proceedings. This requires each GAL to visit the child monthly to learn about the child's wishes. They must also assess the child's immediate safety and conduct interviews with others involved in the child's life, including caseworkers, teachers, foster parents and family members. The GAL then reports this information to the family court judge at scheduled hearings, along with a recommendation on the best course of action for the child.

"We're always looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about advocating for children," said Brandi Johnson, regional recruiter and trainer for the GAL program. "If you are interested in learning how you can change a child's story, we encourage you to visit gal.sc.gov to learn more."

Volunteers should be at least 21 years old, have a clean criminal record, no previous DSS case history and be able to contribute four to five hours a month of their time for a child. Free training is provided to all volunteers. The next training classes begin on Sept. 3.

For more information on becoming a volunteer Guardian ad Litem, contact Brandi Johnson at (843) 731-7622 or Brandi.Johnson@childadvocate.sc.gov or visit gal.sc.gov.