Under the Aegis: Walking a Mile in Another's Shoes

Karen Rogers shares the importance of empathy and understanding in child advocacy, emphasizing the need to walk a mile in another’s shoes. Discover how this approach shapes her work with children, social workers, and parents.

Effective child advocacy requires more than just knowledge of the law and procedures – it demands a deep understanding of the many perspectives within the child protection system. Karen Rogers, an experienced Guardian ad Litem with TIGALA, emphasizes the importance of walking a mile in another’s shoes to truly understand the challenges faced by social workers, parents, and the children themselves.

“If you don’t have experience of that system, I think it can be very hard to negotiate it, work in it, understand it,” Karen explains. Having worked across various roles, from social care worker to child protection social worker, Karen brings a unique perspective to her role as a Guardian ad Litem. This background allows her to appreciate the pressures that other professionals in the system face, whether that's social workers who often have to manage large caseloads and parents navigating complex challenges within a legal system that can often seem confusing or intimidating.

This empathy helps to reduce frustrations that can arise between different stakeholders, as Karen points out. “A lot of frustrations with working together with different people come from a lack of understanding.” By recognizing the challenges that social workers face – like managing a high volume of cases – Karen is better positioned to collaborate with them, ensuring a smoother process and a focus on what truly matters: the child’s welfare.

Nine times out of ten, the parents are the most important person for the young person.

In her role as a Guardian ad Litem, Karen also values understanding the parents’ perspective, a viewpoint she has deepened through her occasional role as an advocate for parents. This dual role has given her further insight into how parents might view the court process and the challenges they face. “Nine times out of ten, the parents are the most important person for the young person,” Karen notes.

By stepping into the role of a parent advocate, she gains a better appreciation of their concerns and struggles, which enables her to consider the broader context of a child’s life and relationships. It’s about understanding not just the needs of the child, but also how those needs intersect with the family dynamic, ensuring that she can advocate effectively for the child’s best interests while also respecting the family’s perspective.

Karen’s approach embodies TIGALA’s commitment to a holistic and collaborative approach to child advocacy. By seeking to understand the experiences and perspectives of all parties involved, she helps to create a more empathetic and effective process for the children she represents. This approach aligns with TIGALA’s Practice Principles, which emphasize the importance of respect, empathy, and collaboration in every aspect of a Guardian’s role.

“It just gives you that bit of extra insight into how parents can experience certain things that you mightn’t even think about when you’re a GAL for a child,” Karen shares. This insight allows her to advocate more effectively, ensuring that each child’s voice is heard while also considering the broader family context.