Children at risk need advocates: few investments bring as high a return as volunteering to help South Florida's children

South Florida CEO, March, 2005 by Robert F. Thorne

Two years ago, an 8-year-old Miami boy was given a chance to start a new life. Until then, David suffered from a continuous pattern of violence at the hands of his drug-abusing parents--an all too common pattern when immature, angry adults act destructively against young children who can't defend themselves.

Not surprisingly, David was in constant trouble at school, where his counselors identified deep-rooted emotional problems. Fortunately, the state stepped in, and with the support of a court-appointed Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) volunteer, David was placed with a supportive foster family.

With his new family, for the first time, he learned what it was like to be part of a family--to have adults listen to his concerns, help him with his homework and provide structure for his life. As a result, David blossomed into a healthier, happier child.

When David becomes a parent himself, the odds are now better that he will have the understanding and awareness to be a concerned, supportive father, rather than continuing the cycle of abuse for another generation.

Every year, thousands of boys and girls, from newborn infants to teenagers, are removed from abusive or neglectful homes. Each of these children needs a personal advocate who will speak on their behalf when a judge considers their individual cases.

Unfortunately, there are far too many abused and neglected children like David in South Florida, and not enough caring adults willing to open their doors and provide nurturing foster homes, speak out on behalf of these helpless youngsters, or help them begin to build a positive connection with adults.

A few years ago, I joined Voices For Children Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for Miami-Dade County's court-appointed guardian ad litem program. Through tax-deductible contributions, the foundation also strives to provide financial assistance and other resources to meet the health, educational and social needs of these children.

Today, Voices is part of collaboration with the 11th Judicial Circuit Guardian Ad Litem Program--the largest in Florida and one of the most respected in the nation.

In a juvenile court system that is flooded with cases, it can be difficult for a judge to gather all the relevant information before making a decision that will change a child's life for the foreseeable future.

The guardian speaks up for the best interests of the child, gathers information through regular visits with the child, conducts interviews with parents, caregivers and social and medical service providers, attends hearings on the child's behalf and makes recommendations to the judge.

Unfortunately, there are far too few volunteer guardians to meet the needs of our children. Only about 45 percent of the approximately 6,000 children in the state's system are now represented by guardians, according to the latest figures from Voices for Children. That leaves roughly 3,300 children without the support and advocacy services they receive from a guardian.

The public needs to be educated more about the vital role that guardians play and, more important, what they can do to help. No special experience or legal background is needed to become a guardian, and all volunteers are given 30 hours of training to prepare. A guardian's responsibilities take just hours per week, and many contacts can be made by phone, fax or email. Guardians are asked to commit at least one year to the program, although many volunteers have been involved for much longer. A strong team of attorneys and supervisors is available to assist the guardians in their efforts.

Of course, the need for volunteer involvement doesn't stop once a child leaves the courtroom. After being placed in a foster care or group home, children need ongoing contact to ensure that their needs are being met in the new setting.

For some children in foster care, emotional or psychological counseling would be highly beneficial, but transportation to a clinic simply isn't available. In other cases, the best way to help a child flourish is to provide a chance to become involved in supervised sports, such as Little League, soccer, swimming or a regular physical fitness program.

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And many foster homes, regardless of the love and care provided by the parents, lack the financial resources to provide new school uniforms, toys for a child's birthday or a stuffed animal to hug on lonely nights.

Voices provides hundreds of these children each year with direct financial assistance through the Children's Needs Fund. This helps fill the gap between state funding and children's real needs, including tutoring and emergency needs. Since enrichment experiences are essential to a child's learning, Voices also provides children with field trips, summer camps, sports, arts, and cultural opportunities.

South Florida business leaders have the skills and ability to make a positive difference in the lives of abused and neglected children. Nothing will bring you a better return on your personal investment than volunteering to help the children of South Florida. I truly believe this is the most important service you can ever perform for our community--one that will pay big dividends today and for generations to come.