How to brief your advocate

By now you know your child’s case better than anyone in the room. If you bring in an advocate or adviser to help, your job is to make their time count. The more organised you are, the more of their hours go on expert work and the fewer go on sorting your paperwork.

Start with who does what. An advocate or adviser supports you through the process: they help you organise your case, draft or check letters, prepare you for meetings, and can speak up alongside you or for you. They are not usually a lawyer and cannot give formal legal advice on complex points. Their strength is process, structure, and keeping you steady when things get emotional.

To prepare them, gather everything in one place first. Put your child’s current EHC plan or draft, all dated letters and emails from the Local Authority, every report already done (school, EP, speech and language, OT, NHS), school records, and any decision letter you might be challenging into one folder. Physical or digital, it does not matter, as long as it is in one place and dates are clear.

Hand them that one-pager and the folder in advance, and ask them to read it before you meet. Then lead with your goal. In the first minute, say what outcome you want and what you most need from this session. Have your questions written down so you are not relying on memory when you are stressed.

One last question to always ask: “What can I do myself for free, and what genuinely needs you?” A good professional will tell you honestly. That single question often saves you the most money.