In Florida there are over 22,000 children that have been abused or neglected in the midst of a court battle.
In the wake of such national anger over the fate of Caylee Anthony, one organization has a way for people to help protect the children in their community.
The Guardian ad Litem Program trains volunteers to serve as advocates for children. They are court appointed and work within a team, alongside a program attorney, the child involved and the child's family. They help ensure a safe, caring, stable and permanent environment is secured for the child through the court proceedings.
"I don't think that we are going to eradicate child abuse in any state without the help of the community, Guardian ad Litem Circuit Director, Marcia Hinty told TV20. "One child at a time."
The program is in need of volunteers.
A training session will be held August 8th, 9th, 11th, and 12th from 9am to 4pm. The session will be at the Oxford Assembly of God at 12114 North U.S. Hwy 301 in Oxford, FL. Contact Lynn Sennett at (352) 369-2525 for more information.
To qualify as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer, you must be 21 years of age or older, successfully complete 30 hours of pre-service training, have a clean criminal background check and possess the ability to be objective. On average, volunteers spend 6-10 hours a month on a case that may last about 10 months.