But for the reasons cited earlier, the Guidelines are not effective. Judges differ in how they use guardians ad litem. In some cases, guardians simply gather information and present recommendations to the court. In other cases, guardians may act as custody evaluators, or visitation expediters. Judges, court administrators, and guardians do not always agree on what constitutes the guardians' responsibilities.
Judges also differ in their expectations of guardians for communication and reporting.
People told us the multiplicity of guardian roles can be confusing, especially to parents who may not always understand why guardians were appointed. Training Adequate basic and continuing training is essential for guardians ad litem to be effective. Some national standards for training have been suggested for volunteer guardians, but there are no universal training requirements for all guardians. Nearly 17 percent of the state's guardians told us that no basic training was required prior to their first case assignment. Many guardians reported that they seek out continuing education opportunities, but nearly 59 percent said they were not required to take any continuing education.