The Wards of Public Guardians: Voices of the Unbefriended^*

Abstract

This study sought to understand the perspective of public guardianship wards (e.g., adults reduced to the legal status of a minor child), for whom public guardians, through court authority, should act as a concerned family member regarding the wards' decision making. Grounded in democratic theory, four research questions guided this investigation: How satisfied are the wards of public guardians? To what extent do wards perceive that public guardians uphold the ethical values of autonomy and dignity when working on their behalf? How are public guardians responsive to and representative of their clients? What is the nature of guardian‐ward interactions? Data from ward interviews, participant observation, case files, and agency documents were used. Qualitative analysis revealed that wards came from a variety of backgrounds, had feelings of loneliness and fear, and did not understand or were not necessarily satisfied with the efforts of their public guardians.