How many people know that you can bring a relative, friend, advocate, or even legal representation with you to meetings at a Department of Social Services?

And, how many people know that even if staff tells you that you can’t, they would be incorrect?

That’s exactly what happened recently when I was trying to help a friend navigate a very confusing process — to her, anyway — at a social services office. She was told, by an intake person in no uncertain terms, “Louise can’t go in with you because she is not part of the case. She is not on the application.” Knowing that I could go in, I pushed back.

The worker immediately looked uncomfortable. She said, “You will have to sign a waiver if you want her to go in with you.” The worker looked to me and said, “I think you have to sign one too.”

She didn’t know? The worker hurriedly........

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