Childcare Lawyer

Childcare Lawyer

Salary: £49,871 - £55,224 per annum
Location: South East England - hybrid working, though can consider flexible attendance and remote applicants
Contract: Permanent

Overview of the Childcare Lawyer role:

Sellick Partnership is currently working with a Local Authority based in South East England who are looking to recruit a Lawyer specialising in Children's Social Care to join their Legal Services team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Childcare Lawyer to join a supportive and collaborative legal team, managing a varied caseload of children's social care matters and providing high-quality legal advice and representation to the Council.

The role offers hybrid working, with a maximum expectation of attending the office once a week. However, the Council can offer flexibility around office attendance, meaning candidates based further afield may also be considered and even fully remote applicants.

Key responsibilities of the Childcare Lawyer will include:

• Managing a varied caseload of medium and occasionally high-complexity Children's Social Care matters, ensuring work is delivered to a high standard and within agreed timescales.
• Providing high-quality legal advice, guidance and support to Council departments on a range of childcare matters.
• Undertaking advocacy and representing the Council in court proceedings, tribunals and other contested hearings.
• Drafting legal documents, applications, statements and other formal documentation.
• Researching complex areas of law and presenting clear, practical and accessible legal advice to clients.
• Building and maintaining effective working relationships with internal departments, external organisations and partner agencies.
• Providing training and guidance to client departments and colleagues within the legal team.
• Supporting and supervising Trainees and Paralegals where required.
• Contributing to the achievement of team performance targets and the continuous improvement of legal services.

Required experience/qualifications of the Childcare Lawyer position will include:

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (CILEX), or equivalent qualification with relevant experience.
• Established knowledge and experience of local government law, particularly Children's Social Care matters.
• Previous experience handling a Children's Social Care caseload, ideally within a Local Authority or relevant private practice environment.
• Experience drafting a range of legal documents and providing clear, practical legal advice.
• Ability to undertake advocacy and represent clients in court proceedings and contested hearings.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a varied caseload independently, prioritise competing demands and work to deadlines.
• A proactive approach to identifying legal risks and developing practical solutions.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Childcare Lawyer looking to join a supportive Local Authority legal team, with the flexibility of hybrid working and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to services supporting children and families across the region.