£46,731 - £50,788

We have an excellent opportunity for two Child Protection Lawyers to join the Children’s Social Care Legal Team and become key members of our growing and collaborative in-house Legal Service, specialising in safeguarding children.

In your role as Child Protection Lawyer, you’ll be one of the city council’s legal experts in advising children’s social care in all matters relating to safeguarding children including care proceedings, pre proceedings and adoption matters.

You’ll ideally have at least two years’ experience in dealing with care proceedings and pre-proceedings and by the time of your appointment to the post, you’ll be either a solicitor, barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive.

We’re looking for a confident individual who is a team player, able to work in a pressurised environment and able to manage competing priorities.

Main Responsibility

• Provide legal advice on relevant local government law, child protection law, advising children’s social care in all matters relating to safeguarding children, including care proceedings, pre proceedings and adoption matters.
• Advocacy at any relevant hearings where the post holder has a right of audience.
• Advising Members and Officers of the Council at internal panel and committee meetings on relevant areas of law.

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (Supreme Court of England and Wales/English Bar) or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives or equivalent, with 2 years’ experience in the relevant area of law.
• Established knowledge of relevant local government law, child protection law, advising children’s social care in all matters relating to safeguarding children, including care proceedings, pre proceedings and adoption matters.

Package Description
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme – low-cost leasing of electric and low emission vehicles.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week.  Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.

About The Organisation
Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.

Click here for job description

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

​Closing date: 13 January

Interviews will be held in w/c 20 January