Childcare Lawyer

Location: Manchester (Hybrid/Remote)Rate: £45 - £55 per hour (DOE)Contract: Locum - Full-time CRA Consulting is delighted to be working in partnership with a leading Local Authority in Manchester who are seeking an experienced Childcare Lawyer to join their legal services team on a full-time locum basis. This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled Childcare Lawyer to provide high-quality legal advice and support on a complex and varied caseload of public law childcare matters. The successful candidate will have the flexibility to work remotely, with a preference for someone able to attend the office approximately once per week. The successful candidate will manage their own caseload and undertake advocacy where required, providing practical and solution-focused legal support to Children's Services. Key Responsibilities:

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• Handling a full range of public law childcare matters, including care proceedings, placement applications, adoption-related proceedings, and special guardianship matters.
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• Managing Deprivation of Liberty applications concerning children.
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• Advising on Public Law Outline (PLO) pre-proceedings work.
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• Providing legal advice to Children's Social Care on safeguarding and looked after children matters.
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• Attending hearings, case management hearings, and providing advocacy where required.
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• Participating in duty lawyer cover arrangements during normal working hours.
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• Attending Legal Gateway Meetings and Permanence Panels.
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• Providing clear, timely, and practical advice to social workers, managers, and senior officers.
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Requirements:

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• Previous local authority childcare legal experience is essential.
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• Strong experience handling a busy childcare caseload with minimal supervision.
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• Excellent knowledge of public law childcare proceedings.
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• Advocacy experience is desirable.
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• Ability to work effectively within a fast-paced local authority environment.
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Benefits of the Role:

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• Competitive hourly rate of £45 - £55 per hour depending on experience.
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• Long-term locum opportunity with a respected Local Authority.
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• Hybrid working arrangements available.
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• Opportunity to work on complex and rewarding childcare matters.
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If you are an experienced Childcare Lawyer looking for your next locum opportunity in Manchester, please contact Umar at CRA Consulting for further information