ChildCare Solicitor

Children's Safeguarding Locum Lawyer

Location: Warrington (Hybrid/ remote working available)
Salary: £50 - 60 per hour
Contract: Ongoing Locum Assignment
Start Date: ASAP
CRA Consulting is delighted to be working with a local Authority in Warrington who are seeking an experienced Children's Safeguarding Locum Lawyer to join their Legal Services team on an ongoing basis.
This is an excellent opportunity for a childcare lawyer looking for a rewarding local authority assignment, providing high-quality legal advice and advocacy within a supportive and experienced Safeguarding Team.
The successful candidate will join a dedicated legal department supporting Children's Services and Social Care, handling a varied and challenging caseload while working closely with social workers, senior officers, guardians, counsel and external agencies.

The Role

You will provide specialist legal advice and representation in relation to a broad range of children's safeguarding and childcare matters, including:

• Care proceedings and child protection matters
• Providing legal advice and guidance to Children's Services
• Conducting advocacy before the Family Court and relevant tribunals
• Preparing cases in line with the Public Law Outline (PLO)
• Drafting and reviewing statements, care plans, bundles and skeleton arguments
• Attending advocates' meetings, strategy meetings and multi-agency discussions
• Advising on complex childcare issues and emerging areas of legislation
• Working closely with Counsel, Children's Guardians and partner agencies

About You

To be considered for this opportunity, you will have:

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive status
• Strong experience within Children's Social Care / Childcare Law
• Experience handling care proceedings and public law matters
• Advocacy experience within the Family Court
• The ability to manage a caseload independently with minimal supervision
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Previous local authority experience is desirable but not essential

The Opportunity

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a respected local authority legal team and support vital safeguarding work within Children's Services.
Benefits include:

• Ongoing locum assignment
• Competitive hourly rate based on experience
• Hybrid working options available
• Supportive and collaborative legal environment
• Opportunity to work on meaningful and complex childcare matters