You do not have the self-confidence to be your child’s advocate.
Sitting in a room with school personnel, school psychologists, teachers, counselors and the school principal can be extremely intimidating. In addition to the fear you may feel, you may not understand the system and worry this will interfere with your ability to advocate for your child. Although many parents are quite successful at working with the school district, the fear some parents may feel might interfere. In this case, it may be best to hire an advocate to at least attend meetings with you.
Your school district may have an attorney.
If you have filed to have a due process hearing or if negotiations between you and the school district are very tense, the school district may choose to have an attorney sit in during meetings. If this is the case, you may consider having an attorney or an educational advocate with you. Someone who is familiar with special education law can help you to feel on a more equal footing with the school district.
You have been working with the school for a period of time but you don’t seem to be making progress.
When working with the school and attending meetings on behalf of your child, you have certain expectations, both in what accommodations and modifications you would like to see implemented and how soon you would like to see progress. If you have been attending meetings but you are not happy with the progress, either because you feel the school is delaying implementing modifications or because you have not seen sufficient movement in trying to accommodate the needs of your child, you may want to talk with an advocate. Advocates understand the special education process and would be able to help you hold the school accountable.
Whether or not you choose to work with an advocate is a personal decision and needs to be decided based on individual situations. Keep in mind, however, working with an advocate may change your relationship with the school. If you have a good working relationship, and suddenly enter the meeting with an advocate with you, school personnel may become defensive and may be less willing to cooperate or may begin to view you as a troublemaker. These reasons, however, should not stop you from hiring an advocate if you feel your child would benefit from their services.
Sources:
“Special Education Lawyers: Do You Need One?”, 2009, Author Unknown, Nolo legal Companion
“Special Education Advocates – Do You Need a Special Education Advocate?, Date Unknown, Ann Logsdon, LearningDisabilities.About.com
