Postgraduate‐qualified teachers' experiences interacting with educators of their own disabled children

Abstract Research and policy espouse the virtues of parent–school partnerships in delivering positive outcomes for students with disabilities, however an erosion of trust can lead to a breakdown in the relationship. Though, parents who share cultural capital with teachers experience more successful parent–school partnerships, parents who act as allies for their disabled children can be labelled as tricky or difficult. This article examines the experiences of four parents who hold postgraduate qualifications in education when interacting with the schools of their disabled children. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study explored how, when, and why parents with postgraduate qualifications in education experienced difficulties within the parent–school partnership. It was found that bringing their knowledge and expertise to the table when acting as allies to their children could deliver benefits, but often resulted in a partnership breakdown that positioned the teacher as the expert and the parent as the subordinate partner.