Child Protection Lawyer

Woking, Surrey Surrey County Council The salary range for this role is £38,958.40 to £48,718.40 per annum (pro-rata £48,698 to £60,898 FTE), based on working 28.8hours per week. This is depending on experience (with a Lawyers Career Scheme providing the opportunity for permanent staff to progress to £60,898). Are you looking for a new opportunity to develop your career in Childcare Law? We are seeking a Child Protection Lawyer to join our fantastic legal team, based at Victoria Gate in Woking. The Council adopts a hybrid working policy with flexible working arrangements which includes coming together in person for 2 days per week on average (40% of the working week). The team are very approachable (even when working remotely!) so there will always be someone to provide you with support and discuss matters. Our Offer to You 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (prorated for part time staff) Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave A generous local government salary related pension Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year Paternity, adoption and dependents leave An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.About the Role As a Child Protection Lawyer at Surrey, you will join a supportive, successful and Lexcel accredited in-house legal team that delivers effective legal advice, representation and assistance to the Council. Our team culture is one which is supportive and engaged. We have regular team away days where we connect and collaborate with one another, leaving us feeling motivated and energised about our roles. You will be expected to carry out a range of key responsibilities, which will include: Managing a varied and interesting childcare caseload consisting of both pre-proceedings and applications before the Court Undertaking advocacy on behalf of the County Council Providing expert legal advice to the Council in respect of its duties and responsibilities in respect of children and young people, including those in respect of adoptionYou will be supported through training, regular supervision and development plans to continue learning and developing your expertise and to achieve successful progression through the career scheme. If joining us on a permanent basis, you will have the opportunity to join our Lawyers Career Scheme which will allow for accelerated career and salary progression based on performance. Working together with frontline Children's Services to safeguard children, we play a pivotal role in the Council's drive to ensure no one is left behind. We were previously nominated for a STARS in Surrey award for teamwork and get consistently excellent client feedback. If you are interested in developing and enhancing your existing skills whilst undertaking quality and varied work in the area of child protection, we'd love to hear from you! A current Lawyer in the team says... "As a team lawyer at Surrey County Council, my daily work involves working collaboratively with social workers and other professionals, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of each case and fostering a holistic approach to problem-solving. This enables us to develop tailored legal strategies that address the specific needs of the children and families involved in cases spanning a broad-spectrum including PLO proceedings, care proceedings, deprivation of liberty applications, among others. In this role, I have the responsibility of representing and advising clients in diverse childcare cases ranging from initial proceedings to complex matters like adoption and special guardianship. The flexibility provided by agile working enhances my work-life balance, allowing me to adapt my working hours and locations to accommodate personal commitments while fulfilling my professional responsibilities." Your Application In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with Our Commitment We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview. Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs