Protecting the most vulnerable among us, particularly in times of distress and confusion, should be a priority for the legislature. That's why I intend to introduce legislation to better safeguard children in domestic relations cases in which a party has been accused of sexually abusing a child.

A GAL, or guardian ad litem, is appointed by Pennsylvania courts to represent the best interests of a child and to serve as the child’s voice throughout custody proceedings.  When a custody dispute involves allegations of child sexual abuse, the GAL’s role becomes even more critical.  These professionals must be able to recognize the unique dynamics of such abuse, including grooming behavior, delayed disclosure by the child, and emotional manipulation by the abuser. Without specialized training, GAL's may inadvertently misinterpret these behaviors, potentially placing children at further risk and undermining the integrity of the court’s decision-making process.
 
I was deeply disturbed by a recent case in my district involving a father who had been charged with sexually abusing his children.  Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the court-appointed GAL – lacking adequate training in the complexities of child sexual abuse – concluded that the children’s mother had fabricated the claims.  Influenced by this finding, the court not only discounted the abuse allegations but went so far as to order the mother to pay a significant portion of the father’s supervised visitation costs – effectively penalizing the protective parent and potentially further endangering the children.  While the father was subsequently convicted of sexually abusing his children, the children’s mother was left devastated and disillusioned by a judicial system that failed to protect her family when it mattered most. 
 
While Kayden’s law encouraged courts to make reasonable efforts to appoint GAL's with training relating to child sexual abuse, my legislation will go a step further by requiring such training in certain cases.  Specifically, in any domestic relations matter involving allegations of child sexual abuse, GAL's must have completed, at a minimum, specialized education and training relating to the behavioral and psychological indicators of childhood sexual abuse; patterns of grooming and manipulation by abusers; the common dynamics of disclosure and recantation; and the impact of trauma on a child’s memory, communication, and behavior.  My legislation will also require the individual charged with sexual crimes to pay the full cost of any supervised visitation ordered by the court. 
 
Please join me in cosponsoring this important and commonsense bill to protect children in custody disputes.