Working Together in Georgia's Juvenile Courts:
The Perspective of Attorney & Volunteer Guardians Ad Litem

Through the generosity of the Georgia Supreme Court, we are able to share a portion of the materials available from the Child Placement Project (CPP). Special thanks are offered to Project Director, Michelle Barclay, R.N., J.D., and the many persons who worked at making these detailed materials available.

The following section is specific to the roles of both attorney and volunteer Guardians Ad Litem (GALs). To reduce confusion in terminology, volunteer). We will then explain how MBP can manifest itself through child sexual abuse, provide basics of the appropriate MBP investigation and confirmation-disconfirmation process, (the term "confirmation-disconfirmation process" is the general termonology we use throughout this piece, knowing that other states may use other terms such as substantiate-unsubstantiate) and offer ideas about enhancing the sexual abuse investigation through consideration of MBP. GALs are referred to as CASAs. This stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate(s). The attorney GALs will be referred to as "law guardians".

The following information describes roles and activities of law guardians/CASAs in dealing with all forms of "Deprivation" of children. Please be aware that "Deprivation" is the most general legal term that pertains to all forms of child abuse and neglect. Child sexual abuse is one type of "Deprivation".