£47,800 - £66,397 per annum

Overview

We have a fantastic opportunity for Children's Social Care Lawyers to join our in-house Legal Services team at Buckinghamshire Council.

Are you committed to making a difference? Do you want the work you do to have a real impact for the local community? Are you looking for an opportunity to develop your career to undertake varied and complex case work?

If so, take a look at what Buckinghamshire Council can offer you and your career.

The salary advertised for this role is dependent on experience. We have a full-time post and a part time post available. We will also consider applications for part-time/condensed working in relation to the full time post. Please note if you are working part-time the salary would be pro-rata.

About us

Legal Services is at the heart of the Organisation and provides a fast paced and rewarding career in a supportive environment. Career development is something we are very passionate about; we are committed to building an exceptional in-house Legal Service, utilising our colleague's talent and making the most of what they have to offer.

This is an exciting time to join us, as we continue to grow and develop our service. The recently redesigned in-house legal service is expanding to support the varied work of this diverse authority and to provide a wider range of in-house specialism.

https://buckinghamshire.pagetiger.com/legal-services

"Within the children's social care team, we have a long-established and highly productive working relationship with our client. Our work is varied and interesting, covering all aspects of children's social care law. The team is stable, with many members having worked for us for a significant period of time. Colleagues are genuinely welcoming and there is great support from management and the wider team" - William Brierley, Team Leader.

If that's not enough reason to join us, you will be entitled to a range of benefits from Buckinghamshire Council including a very competitive employer pension contribution, generous annual leave allowance, flexible working and discounts in a range of services and restaurants.

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

We are seeking 1 x full time and 1 x part-time Children's Social Care Lawyers who are able to offer proactive, innovative and customer-focussed advice. You will work collaboratively with colleagues and our client departments to deliver the Council's statutory functions.

We offer a vibrant and stimulating legal environment, fostering a culture of learning and knowledge sharing. We aim to inspire and develop our in-house lawyers to be leaders in their field. Our in-house lawyers take pride in their professional approach and the quality of the service provided. These roles are an opportunity for lawyers who share that ethos to join a team which provides a pathway to a dynamic and rewarding professional future.

Key Accountabilities

The work of the team is varied and includes all aspects of advice and representation in relation to child protection from emergency protection orders and care proceedings to adoption, as well as judicial reviews, disclosure work, leaving care advice and immigration issues relating to children and families. The role is predominately managing pre-proceedings work and court proceedings and as such, advocacy experience is helpful however training can be provided.

For further information on this role please see the attached job summary.

Any-Desk:

As an 'any-desk' worker, you'll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

We welcome applications from Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives with experience of advising in relation to children's social care matters.

Naturally, you'll be highly motivated and proactive. Whether you are newly qualified or have significant experience of children's social care work built from a career in the public or private sector, we are interested to hear from you.

Other information

We have adopted a hybrid way of working offering flexibility in terms of working hours and location. Attendance at the office is expected for team collaboration days, departmental and service meetings. The role also requires attendance for face to face meetings and hearings in Buckinghamshire (or further afield). However we recognise much of this role can also be performed from home or an alternate location. We encourage colleagues to make the most of the options this provides and take control of their own work life balance

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled 'Exceptions Order').

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Closing date: 18 September 2024.

For further information or to apply, please click on the 'Enquire/Apply' button below.