Darlington Mayor declares April as Child Abuse Prevention Month
Pictured here (left to right): Jael Reeves, Elizabeth Leonard, Mayor Curtis Boyd, Margaret Chapman, and Ashley Tunstall. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Honorable Curtis Boyd, mayor of Darlington, South Carolina, signed a proclamation Tuesday, April 4, declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“I appreciate everything the Guardians ad Litem are doing to help protect children and families. Thank each of you for the support you give because children need a voice,” said Boyd. “It is a shame that there are this many cases. We should all be doing more than what is being done.”
The Darlington County office of the Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program has events planned throughout April to raise awareness about Child Abuse Prevention Month, include planting blue pinwheels across the county and Wear Blue Fridays.
There are many ways everyday people can make a difference in their community by helping a child in need, but perhaps one of the most impactful is to become a volunteer GAL.
GALs are appointed by Family Court judges to represent each child who appears in Family Court due to abuse or neglect. They are the voice of the child in the courtroom, and through their written reports, GALs inform the judge of the child’s wishes and what they feel is in the child’s best interest.
GAL volunteers dedicate a small amount of time to make huge differences in the lives of abused and neglected children. Becoming a GAL is easy. Just complete a free 30-hour training program, pass a background check, and be at least 21 years old. During the training, volunteers will learn all about the roles and duties of a Guardian ad Litem, and how to advocate for the children they represent.
It takes one person to make a difference in a child’s life. To learn more about the GAL Program in South Carolina and how to become that person, contact Margaret Chapman at the Darlington County GAL office 843-383-2333 or gal.sc.gov.
