Do you want to make a difference in the lives of local children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned?

Become a guardian ad litem!

The three phase, thirty-hour pre-service training program is one of the requirements to become a volunteer guardian ad litem. The training's comprehensive curriculum includes independent study, classroom learning and fieldwork.

The 2015 schedule of pre-service training classroom sessions is provided below. Visit the following pages to learn more about volunteering, our program and its mission, then select a month and register for training.

If you have any questions, please contact our training coordinator (deborah.mooregal.fl.gov) or volunteer recruiter (angela.dioriogal.fl.gov).

• Learn More
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Position Description
• Pre-Service Training
• Information for Attorneys
• Volunteer Application

We regularly host, sponsor and support a variety of events that provide community outreach, increase awareness of our program, help recruit new volunteers, raise funds and furnish training to our volunteer guardians ad litem. The following event was recently added to our calendar.

• Guardian ad Litem Souper Bowl    Special
  Thursday, January 29, 2015

On Monday, January 12, 2015, the Tallahassee Democrat published a photograph from the CAII Wine Tasting for Charity fundraiser that took place on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.

Appearing on the second page of the second section, the photograph depicts event sponsor Computer Repair Doctor President Matt Hamm, Child Advocates II (CAII) Board President Brian Sealey and Second Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program Circuit Director Deborah Moore.

Hosted by our non-profit support organization CAII, the event at 101 Restaurant's Versailles Lounge raised over $700 for local abused, neglected and abandoned children in one evening.

You can view the original photograph as well as a picture of the newspaper below. To browse all fifty-three of our photographs from the event, visit the CAII Wine Tasting for Charity photo set.

Thank you to the Tallahassee Democrat for featuring CAII and our program with their readers.

A new version of the Guardian ad Litem Report to the Court has been published. Volunteers can download the new report in PDF and Microsoft Word format as one of our essential volunteer forms and documents.

The revised court report features substantial changes and should be used effective immediately. You can quickly differentiate the old and new versions by looking at the title: the current version of the document has "Guardian ad Litem Report to the Court" underlined, the old version does not.

Head to the Current Volunteers page now to download your copy and review the other documents, forms and educational materials available.

Two new library items have been added to our comprehensive continuing education resource center.

• FDLRS Community Resource Guide
  An index of resources, frequently asked questions, helpful websites and community programs and organizations from the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS) Miccosukee Associate Center.

filed under Disabilities, Educational Advocacy and Booklet

• Transition Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities
  A resource guide of transition services and post-secondary options for students with disabilities published by the Big Bend Transition Council.

filed under Disabilities, Educational Advocacy and Booklet

Rescheduled Event

The Transition IEP Planning for Life After High School training originally scheduled for January 28 and January 29 has been rescheduled.

This continuing education event will now take place on Wednesday, February 25 and Thursday, February 26, 2015. As before, we are hosting this training at our offices on Thomasville Road each day from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Learn more on the updated event page and then register to attend.

Event Agenda

The official agenda for the Child Welfare Regional Training Institute event on Thursday, January 15 and Friday, January 16, 2015 has been published.

Registrants can download the agenda to see a grid of the topic tracks and panels.

Happy New Year! January in Florida generally brings with it new laws and 2015 is no exception.

As of Thursday, January 1, 2015, all motor vehicle operators in the state are required to use a crash tested and federally approved child restraint device for children five years of age or younger.^[1] The previous cutoff was age three.

Beyond having one, it is vitally important that car seats and boosters are installed correctly and are the correct size and type. Locally, the Leon County Emergency Medical Services Child Passenger Safety Seat Program helps advise the public on these topics through outreach and education.

Frequently appearing at community events, the county's certified child passenger safety technicians are otherwise available by appointment to provide free training, advice and seats.

For a quick overview of Florida's child restraint law and the Leon County service, watch this two minute news segment by Garin Flowers of WTSP 10 News.

You can learn more about car seat safety on the following pages.

Leon County Emergency Medical Services

• Child Passenger Safety Seat Program
• Call (850) 606-2100 for more information and appointments

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

• Child Passenger Safety and Occupant Protection

safercar.gov

• Car Seat Types
• Car Seat by Child's Age and Size
• Find the Right Car Seat to Fit Your Child
• Car Seat Ease-of-Use Ratings
• How to Install Your Car Seat
• Car Seat Registration
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