Kathleen Campbell Davis, a seasoned attorney and partner at Campbell & Levine, LLC in Wilmington, Delaware, brings over two decades of legal expertise to her work in bankruptcy litigation and civil litigation. Recognized with the CALI Award for Excellence in Advanced Bankruptcy during law school, Davis has since expanded her practice to include serving as an advocate for children through the Delaware Office of the Child Advocate, underscoring her authority and dedication in matters of legal representation and child advocacy.
The Delaware Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) functions as an independent state agency that oversees legal representation for children in abuse and dependency proceedings. It has the authority to appoint guardians ad litem — licensed attorneys who advocate for a child’s best interests in court. These appointments are coordinated with Family Court and reflect the OCA’s role as the central administrator of legal advocacy across Delaware’s three counties.
To fill these roles, the OCA recruits licensed attorneys and prepares them through a structured training program. Topics include courtroom procedure, child welfare law, and mandated reporting. This preparation ensures that all volunteers meet consistent standards regardless of their prior legal background.
In addition to initial training, OCA staff provide ongoing support throughout each case. They assist with procedural questions, coordinate logistics, and manage communications with attorneys across counties. Staff commit hundreds of hours each year to onboarding and case facilitation, while volunteers contribute thousands of pro bono service hours statewide. Once assigned, guardians ad litem act as formal parties in court, with full authority to access records and advocate for the child’s best interests.
The OCA operates with a compact core team, including full-time Deputy Child Advocates. This team supports a network of over 375 volunteer guardians ad litem working across the state. Staff members oversee case assignments, monitor procedural compliance, and coordinate court-related responsibilities. This structure helps maintain consistent coverage across jurisdictions while making full use of volunteer capacity.
The agency also works with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), non-attorney volunteers who focus on observation and reporting. CASA workers do not participate in court hearings but instead gather observations from the child’s daily environment and share them with the assigned attorney. When both are appointed on the same case, the OCA clearly defines their responsibilities—attorneys manage court activity, while CASA volunteers contribute field-level insights.
To coordinate representation statewide, the OCA uses internal systems to track appointments, case status, and attorney workloads. These tools help balance assignments and allow the agency to respond quickly to shifts in regional volume. When one county sees a temporary spike in filings, attorneys are reallocated to avoid service gaps. The office also evaluates workload trends to inform staffing needs and guide future recruitment.
Beyond internal coordination, the OCA partners with outside entities such as child welfare agencies, school districts, and legal service providers. These collaborations help streamline information access and reduce duplication. Guardians ad litem depend on interagency records to complete discovery, verify placements, or assess available services. Observations from active cases often inform broader policy discussions and highlight patterns affecting the child protection system.
Within the agency, staff and interns carry out internal research and retrospective case reviews to evaluate system performance. These efforts include drafting summaries, reviewing closed cases, and identifying program trends that might not surface in court. The OCA uses this information to guide planning decisions and refine how it supports legal representation over time.
Delaware’s approach to child advocacy provides a model that other states may adapt to their own systems. Built on legal authorization, uniform attorney preparation, and structured oversight, the model shows how independent representation can function at scale. Through a combination of internal tools and cross-agency collaboration, the OCA sustains consistent support while distinguishing legal advocacy from direct service.
