Under the Aegis: Claire Quinn on the Dual Role of a Guardian ad Litem

Join Claire Quinn, TIGALA Director and Guardian ad Litem, as she explains the dual role of a Guardian in communicating children's wishes and ensuring their best interests in court.

Not sure exactly what a Guardian ad Litem does? In this post, we'll explore the dual role of a Guardian ad Litem with insights from Claire Quinn, TIGALA Director and Guardian ad Litem. Claire elaborates on the two key aspects of this vital role, focusing on both communicating children's wishes and ensuring their best interests are represented in court.

It's as if the child was standing in the court speaking to the judge. That's what you're trying to achieve.

The role of the Guardian ad Litem has two crucial parts. The first is about communicating a child's wishes and feelings directly to the court. Guardians meet with children, build relationships to make them comfortable enough to express their true wishes and feelings, and then translate these to the court through reports and evidence. This process aims to ensure that the child's voice is heard as if they were speaking directly to the judge.

"It's as if the child was standing in the court speaking to the judge. That's what you're trying to achieve," Claire explains.

The second part involves the Guardian expressing to the court what they believe is in the best interests of the child. Guardians, with their professional background in social work and experience with children and families, assess the child's situation by meeting with them and their network. They then provide the court with an informed opinion on what would be in the child's best interests, which the judge considers alongside the child's views.

Claire’s dedication to both communicating the wishes and feelings of the child, and critically communicating what she believes is in the best interest of the child based upon her social work expertise underscores the importance of both accurately conveying children's wishes and providing a professional assessment of their best interests, ensuring that the child’s welfare is at the forefront of judicial decisions. Watch the full video below for more detailed information including how the judge weights a Guardian's input.

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