San Juan County is seeking volunteer Child Advocates to represent the best interests of children facing dependency.
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||
San Juan County Superior Court Services announces the next free training for people interested in serving as Child Advocates. Child Advocates represent the best interests of very vulnerable members of our community: children who are in a dependency case due to alleged abuse or neglect. The next training is virtual and begins on Monday, October 13, 2025.
“Our county depends on trained volunteers to carry out this important work,” said Cheryl Kringle, Program Coordinator for the San Juan County Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program. “This special group of volunteers work to keep the court informed about the children’s needs in dependency cases. Some seasoned volunteers are retiring from case work so our county urgently need some new volunteers to step in to this rewarding role.”
Child Advocates are people from all walks of life, with a desire to help children who are facing difficult circumstances. Child Advocates meet with children, their parents, caregivers, and other people involved in their lives. They then write reports to the court about the child’s best interests and make recommendations to the court throughout the child’s dependency case. Child Advocates also appear in court on occasion, usually on the second or fourth Monday of the month at 1:15 when dependency cases are heard. Child Advocates receive ongoing training and support from their Program Coordinator, Superior Court Services Staff, and other Child Advocates. Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, demonstrate compassion and the ability to maintain objectivity, and be able to read and write in English.
“The children of our county need generous volunteers to serve in this capacity,” said Linnea Anderson, Supervisor of Superior Court Services, “We hope to have a good class of volunteers registered for the next training that begins on October 13.”
If you would like to register for this free training or learn more about volunteering as a Child Advocate please contact Cheryl Kringle, Program Coordinator for the San Juan County Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program at cherylk@sanjuancountywa.gov or 360-206-9799.
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