Advocating for Children, Supporting Our Legal Community

Following training and development, LAWV launched Voices for Kids at the beginning of 2026. The program, supported by the WV Public Defender Services, is a new statewide initiative designed to support children involved in abuse and neglect cases. Through this project, LAWV attorneys serve as Guardians ad Litem (GALs), advocating for the best interests of children in court.

In just the first 3½ months, Voices for Kids has already served 60 children.

West Virginia has the highest rate of children in foster care per capita in the nation (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System), and courts across the state face a severe shortage of attorneys able to serve as GALs. Voices for Kids helps fill this critical gap by dedicating trained LAWV attorneys to this work.

Currently, the project includes 11 attorneys and 2 paralegals, many of whom transitioned from other LAWV practice areas. This work is distinct from LAWV’s traditional civil legal services. Cases often extend over longer periods requiring sustained engagement and close observation of children and families. Staff involved in the program describe the work as deeply emotional.

Beyond courtroom advocacy, Voices for Kids also works to prevent abuse and neglect by addressing underlying legal challenges related to housing, benefits, custody, and domestic violence, helping families create safer, more stable homes before crises occur.

As Voices for Kids continues to grow, LAWV anticipates that in addition to making a difference in the lives of many children, this program will create greater continuity in the GAL program in courtrooms across the state.

An Advocate in Court and at Home

Attorney, adoptive and foster parent, and longtime advocate for children in the foster care system, Aimee Goddard realized the Voices for Kids project supervisor was the perfect job for her.

Overseeing a team of attorneys and paralegals across LAWV’s 12 offices, she is providing high‑quality, consistent guardian ad litem representation for children statewide. The team is specially trained to advocate for children’s safety and wellbeing in the courts.

“Over the last few months, I have worked with management to build the program and to ensure that my team is properly trained and prepared to handle the representation of children in abuse and neglect cases. These children deserve strong advocates who will fight for them throughout the process.”

In addition to looking out for West Virginia’s children, Aimee is deeply mindful of supporting the staff who work daily in these often trauma‑filled cases. In the program’s early months, she is balancing her own caseload while regularly checking in with team members to ensure they have the resources, guidance, and encouragement they need, recognizing that strong advocates must also be supported advocates.

Aimee’s perspective as a foster and adoptive parent deeply informs her leadership, grounding her work in the understanding that advocacy does not end in the courtroom. For her, caring for West Virginia’s children means showing up with compassion, consistency, and commitment, both on the job and at home. That lived experience reinforces the heart of Voices for Kids: ensuring that every child in our state is seen, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive environment.