Homeschoolers Tip: When to Call HSLDA 

Over my time working with members of HSLDA Canada, I’ve consistently heard from my clients, “I didn’t know you could help with _____! I thought I could only call you specifically about homeschooling.”

It’s true that the mandate of HSLDA Canada is to assist Canadian homeschoolers with legal problems relating to their homeschool. However, the legal team knows that a challenging situation that has nothing to do with homeschooling can, if not promptly addressed, ultimately have a serious impact on the family’s homeschooling. 

The lawyers serving HSLDA members have expertise in a number of areas, and if your issue is within our areas of expertise, we won’t hesitate to give you information and advice. Often, that information or advice can make a drastic difference in the situation.

Here are just a few of the situations the legal team has provided advice about in the course of working with HSLDA members:

• Disagreement or conflict with a medical professional providing care to a child or parent;
• Opposition about homeschooling from extended family members;
• Hostile neighbours;
• Information about the process of properly investigating and addressing sexual abuse allegations, regarding what the caller’s legal obligations are (depending on their role, whether leader, member, parent, or other role);
• Parameters of acceptable discipline according to Canadian law and child protection agency standards;
• The ability of homeschooled youth to pursue employment;
• Parents working while also homeschooling their children;
• The age at which children can babysit or be home alone;
• Mental health concerns about a parent or child;
• Issues relating to fostering and adopting, and;
• Information about family law (while we do not take family law cases, we can provide information about the process, how homeschooling has been treated as an issue, and general family law principles. We can also speak to the caller’s lawyer about homeschooling as an issue in family law, and how the lawyer can best present evidence about homeschooling).

In other words, we can’t write your will or handle your house sale, but we may be able to assist with more than you think. We would always prefer that you contact us and ask to speak to a lawyer too soon rather than too late.