What does a guardian ad litem do in children's court?

Sometimes the judge will assign special attorney known as a guardian ad litem (GAL) to help with a dependency case. GALs are volunteers who help by talking to people, especially children, and telling the judge what they learn. GALs spend a lot of time with the children they’re assigned to. They listen to the children and tell their story to the court. The GAL also suggests to the court what can be done to make the child safe and healthy. The GAL's only job is to try to help the court decide what is in the child's best interest.