Grant funding will enable the Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem Institute to launch a pilot program entitled Guardian Ad Litem Services in Family Courts for Children from Low Income Families. In Oklahoma, children ages 0–5 involved in family court cases face a critical gap. Many experience domestic violence, instability, and trauma during this important stage of brain development, yet these young children often move through custody proceedings without coordinated advocacy or connection to early childhood services.
This pilot program will address this gap with an Early Childhood Guardian Ad Litem model focused on children ages 0–5 from low-income families in rural and underserved Oklahoma counties. Trained Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) advocates will be placed with young children earlier in the court process to represent the best interests of them and connect families to evidence-based services.
This project introduces a replicable approach that strengthens coordination between courts, service providers, and families. The long-term goal is to expand this model statewide to improve outcomes for Oklahoma’s youngest and most vulnerable children.