- seek protective court orders to protect children from harassment or limit visitation that is harmful;
- prepare children to testify in court and help them understand the court process;
- ask that the child not be called as a witness, if testifying would be too traumatic;
- provide legal intervention, if needed, and support foster parents in getting needed support services or proper assessments for the children;
- receive reports of abuse or neglect about the child;
- provide legal intervention, if needed, to help foster children:
- visit with their parents, siblings, friends and relatives;
- take advantage of community recreational programs, go to the church of their choice and engage in other activities that will make them happier and better adjusted;
- receive educational programs appropriate to their needs, such as speech therapy or special education classes; and
- recover their toys, clothing and other personal property from home.
- provide other legal interventions which they believe are in the best interest of the child or with an older child, present legal intervention at the request of the child; and
- although the GAL cannot always accomplish what children or foster caregivers may want, he or she should always listen to them before recommending to the court what is in the child’s best interests.
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