Charlotte Giles

On Friday, November 10,1961 a bundle of joy was born to Charles Amos & Florence Victoria Giles, whom they lovingly called Carolyn. The second child of the “Giles Clan” received her education in Seaford School District, graduating from Seaford Senior High School in 1979. She began her collegiate pursuit at Lenior-Rhyne College in Hickory, NC. She then transferred to Wilmington College in Georgetown, DE where she received bachelor degrees in business and legal studies. Charlotte received her Jurist Doctorate from Syracuse University School of Law. Her social services experience included staff counselor for Perseverance House – Group Home for Teenage Mothers, Internships with Delaware Family Court Guardian ad Litem Program, and Family Mediation Program. Additionally, she acted as a child advocate during her tenure at the Maryland Citizen’s Review Board for Children (CRBC) where she not only trained Review Board members in individual child advocacy, but was an active advocate in legislative matters, sponsored and supported by both the CRBC and the Maryland child advocacy community. Her legal experience included nearly four years in private practice specializing in Family and Domestic Law. Charlotte taught a number of accredited conference workshops at both the national and state level, topics included: Treatment Foster Care, the Chafee Independent Living Act, Juvenile Causes, MEPA/IEPA (panelist), Individual Child Advocacy, Legislative Advocacy (local, state and national), Group Dynamics, Progressive Self Sufficiency, Personal Dynamics and Title IV-E. Her most recent position was as an Out-of-Home Placement Program and Policy Analyst. As a Program and Policy Analyst she drafted regulations, interpreted federal regulations and standards into policies for Local Departments of Social Services, served as an advisor to the Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) Subcommittee of the Foster Care Court Improvement Committee and also served on national committees for Treatment Foster Care (Public Policy). She continued to participate as an active member of the Child Welfare/Mental Health Coalition, a national child advocacy consortium established through the Children’s Defense fund to promote affirmative child welfare laws, policies and practices on a national level. In 2012, Charlotte became the Manager for the Title IV-E Determinations Unit of the Social Services Administration. In 2019 she was promoted to Director of the unit. The unit is responsible for ensuring all documentation of law, regulations, and policies fulfill federal compliance standards for Maryland’s status as a Title IV-E State. Also included in this responsibility is the eligibility determination for each child in foster care, adoption and the guardianship assistance program. As Director, Charlotte provided training to child welfare staff, Title IV-E staff, DHS and LDSS Executive Staff, Juvenile Court Judges, Attorneys and affiliated Juvenile Court personnel. Charlotte always had a desire to be a mother. On April 18, 2005, she received the most precious gift of her life, a son: Qadus Amir Giles. Charlotte loved to travel, cook gourmet meals, try new restaurants and various international cuisines. She was famous amongst friends for her yearly “Tea” gathering with the girls. She was an avid reader, a great debater and the queen of trivia. She enjoyed all genres of music, theater and loved to dance. If you were around her for at least a moment, you had only two choices: either smile or laugh until it hurt. Her pervasive smile was only enhanced by her double dimples. On Thursday, October 17, 2019, Charlotte quietly slipped into the arms of Jesus. Charlotte was preceded in death by both parents, Charles & Florence Giles and both sets of paternal and maternal grandparents. She leaves to celebrate her memory, one son, Qadus A. Giles; one sister, Ida L. Giles; two brother/cousins Lester West (Gail) and James West Sr. (Maria); one niece, Wendolyn J. Giles; one adopted niece, Terrian K. Hicks; an older sibling and family member who is known and loved, but desires to remain unnamed; two godsons, Darius Godwin and Thomas Kennedy Jr.; her “Girls” (you know who you are); and a host of cousins and special friends.

Charlotte Giles

November 10, 1961 - October 17, 2019