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Guardian ad Litem Training

The federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA, 42. U.S.C. 5106, et.seq.) requires the appointment of a guardian ad litem (attorney or CASA) to represent an abused or neglected child in all stages of a judicial proceeding.  CAPTA further requires that the child's representative receive training appropriate to that role.

 

Georgia law designates the Office of the Child Advocate as the agency with the responsibility to administer or approve guardian ad litem training (OCGA 15-11-9(b)).  To fulfill that mandate, OCA partners with other child advocacy organizations to sponsor several training opportunities designed to meet the CAPTA training requirement.

 

 

Child Welfare Attorney Training

Offered bi-annually, typically in April and October of each year, at the State Bar of Georgia.  For more information, visit the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia at www.iclega.org.  Past seminars are available online and via videotape, and CLE credits have been approved for this program.

 

 

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer Training

Georgia CASA's 40-hour preservice training curriculum has been approved as meeting the CAPTA requirement for non-attorney GALs.  For more information on volunteering with CASA in your area, visit Georgia CASA at www.gacasa.org.

 

 

Annual Youth Law Conference

In partnership with the Georgia Association of Counsel for Children (GACC) and host of others, with funding provided through the federal Children's Justice Act grant, OCA administers an annual statewide conference for child welfare attorneys, CASAs and lay guardians ad litem.  In past years the conference has been referred to as the Guardian ad Litem conference, then later as the Child Advocate Conference.  Beginning in 2009, the annual conference was renamed as the Youth Law Conference.  The 2009 Youth Law Conference was held in Atlanta November 4-6, 2009.

 

 

Local Curriculums

Local jurisdictions are also encouraged to develop their own GAL training curriculum.  For assistance or to submit a curriculum to OCA for approval of training content, please contact Tammy Mills at the Office of the Child Advocate at tmills@oca.ga.gov or by phone at 478-757-2664.

 

 

Associated Document(s):

	childWelfare041510.pdf
	April 15 - Child Welfare training