InBrief

The Office of the General Counsel, Department of Justice is currently recruiting additional Guardian ad Litems for court appointments in NCAT and the Children’s Court.

What is a Guardian ad Litem? A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is someone who is responsible for the conduct of legal proceedings for a person, where that person is: • incapable of representing him or herself, • incapable of giving proper instructions to his or her legal representative, and/or • under legal incapacity due to age, mental illness or incapacity, disability or other special circumstances in relation to the conduct of the proceedings.

Once a person is designated as a GAL Panel member, he/she is eligible for appointment as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in proceedings under order of a participating Court or Tribunal and at the discretion of the Office of the General Counsel.

Qualifications/Experience Desired • Qualifications in social, health or behavioural sciences or related disciplines, or equivalent experience. • Mediation, advocacy and decision making skills. • Ability to communicate effectively with various professionals and family members. • Basic knowledge of legal proceedings and the legal process. • Knowledge of issues affecting children and young people, people with illness, disability or disorder which may affect their decision-making capacity.

Expressions of Interest If you are interested in applying to be on the Guardian ad Litem Panel, please send your expression of interest to the Guardian ad Litem Panel Co-ordinator at the following email address: enquiries-generalcounsel@justice.nsw.gov.au.

Documentation required: • Selection Criteria; • A copy of your curriculum vitae; and • Confirmation that you have a current Working with Children Check, see the Working with Children Check website. If you do not currently have approval, you can apply for this at the interview stage, however, approval is required before confirmation of any designations to the Panel. Further information in relation to guardian ad litems can be found on the Department of Justice Website here.