Sunday, January 26, 2014

Qualities To Look For In Competent Special Education Parent Advocates

By Eliza Mendoza


If you have a child suffering from autism or one who has difficulties in education, it is recommended that you should seek help from parent advocates. There are different situations in which you can seek services from these professionals for instance when you are having challenges dealing with special education personnel. The advantage of this type of expert is that he undergoes training that enables him to guide you through the system involved in special education. At times, you will find a parent who acts as an advocate. This is not advisable since you do not have the knowledge and skills offered by the experts. Provided here are qualities that will help in making your advocates search easier.

First and foremost, you should look at his experience. Ensure that the advocate is familiar in dealing with the type of disability that your child is suffering from. This will confirm that he will effectively support you. Inquire from him the nature of cases he has dealt with.

A good advocate should be familiar with the state and federal education laws which apply to special education. He should also be willing to use them when needed. The various state and federal law which govern the special education system are Disabilities Education Act, No Child Left Behind Act and the state rules for special education and how they comply with disabilities education act.

It is important that an advocate should have basic knowledge on what is comprised in the different rules and regulations. This will help the lawyer to apply laws that will benefit your child during IEP meeting. A lawyer without the knowledge of the laws will be unprofessional and will not help in meeting your needs.

A good advocate should not make false promises to the parents. You should be suspicious of an advocate who promises to get all the services that you want for your child. Special education does not offer any guarantee and the advocate should not promise things that he may not be able to get. An experienced advocate who understands law and the school region should know what needs to be done to help your child.

Passion is one thing that you should look for in a competent professional. He should be zealous about your child needs. A professional who is not passionate will not help in acquiring your child needs within a particular period. This will have a negative impact on your child education.

He must be willing to stand up to special education staff when he disagrees with them or when they lie. This is a very important quality because the professional may have all other qualities but if he is not able to stand up to the school staff he may not be an effective advocate for your child. So always ensure that the advocate you choose has this important quality then you will be assured he can deliver.

Detail orientation is another important quality that you should look for when hiring a professional. A good advocate will write down all the services that the staff in special education schools promises to offer. Before the meeting ends, competent parent advocates should go through the IEP. This will help in identifying any changes to be made if necessary. It is important knowing that minor details can account to huge success. Paying attention to these qualities will help in finding the right advocate to provide the required services.




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