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Advocates who speak on behalf of abused and neglected children in the court system will attend training this week because of scholarships provided by the Supreme Court of Ohio.
The 14th annual Ohio CASA/GAL Association Celebrate Kids! Conference gathers Court Appointed Special Advocates and guardians ad litem every year for workshop sessions and speakers addressing a broad range of topics related to child protection and advocacy for children.
The scholarships cover registration fees for the three-day conference for juvenile court judges, magistrates and court staff from each Ohio county. This year’s conference will focus on many aspects of the law and the work of guardians ad litem.
“The Supreme Court recognizes the important work child advocates perform in representing the best interests of Ohio’s children in court,” said Steve Hanson, manager of Children, Families and the Courts Programs for the Supreme Court. “Updates on the latest case law, what judges expect from child advocates in court and the role of guardians ad litem only serve to ensure they are better prepared, and therefore better advocates, in court.”
The additional instruction for guardians ad litem at this conference comes at an opportune time. To meet the requirements of a proposed new rule of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio, the Supreme Court’s Judicial College will launch the Ohio Guardian ad Litem Education Program next week to provide free training.
Rule 48 would apply in all domestic relations, juvenile and probate cases where a court appoints a guardian ad litem for a minor child. Although some courts have local rules, there has been no state rule that sets standards regarding the appointment, responsibilities, training and reporting requirements of guardians ad litem. The rule would set out specific duties the guardian ad litem is to perform to learn about the facts of the case and the status of the child and would require each court to enter an Order of Appointment, which identifies the capacity in which the guardian ad litem is appointed.
In addition to the latest information for guardians ad litem, a well-known advocate will be recognized at the conference on Friday. Retiring Seneca County Probate/Juvenile Judge Paul Kutscher will receive the first Ohio CASA Judicial Award of Excellence. Examples of his outstanding work on behalf of children were submitted via letters from adoptive parents, unruly kids, attorneys and CASA volunteers who have come in contact with Judge Kutscher over the years.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.