At a Glance
- Tasks: Advise and represent Children's Social Care teams in Family Court cases.
- Company: Join the vibrant and diverse London Borough of Waltham Forest.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, supportive team, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Flexible working options available to suit your lifestyle.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while advancing your legal career.
- Qualifications: Qualified Barrister, Solicitor or FILEX with advocacy rights required.
The predicted salary is between 68784 - 72399 £ per year.
Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest
Salary: PO10 £68,784 - £72,399
Contract Type: Full-time/ Permanent
Working hours per week: 36
Application Deadline: 08/07/2026
Proposed Interview Date(s): TBC
Reference: 2204
About Us: Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents.
London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
About the role: Full of energy and culture, Waltham Forest is a progressive and innovative borough with a Legal Service to match. We provide the best possible legal service to our diverse client departments through our highly skilled legal professionals. As an In-house Advocate, you’ll represent Children’s Social Care teams and be a specialist in your area. You’ll be a key member of our Families team. Your role will involve giving advice on relevant legislation and providing representation in the Family Court to the children’s social care teams, covering all aspects of childcare law. It means delivering a legal service that meets all Council, professional and legal requirements in line with our business and service plans.
Key Responsibilities:
- To advise Children’s Social Care teams on legal and evidential matters pertaining to cases that the Legal Service team have been instructed on.
- Provide high quality pro-active legal advice, assistance and support including cases/projects of high complexity and/or substantial corporate importance in childcare law and related areas.
- Provision of legal representation in the Family Court to the Children’s Social Care teams, covering all aspects of childcare law.
- To take clear instructions from the clients and to identify the clients’ objectives and further them in a professional and ethical manner.
- To advise the clients in respect of emergency or urgent applications and to provide representation at Court in respect of those cases, including out of hours cover where necessary and to attend meetings and court hearings outside of working hours.
- Undertake drafting to include (but not limited to) case summaries, position statements, skeleton arguments, threshold documents, witness templates, Scott schedules and draft case management orders as required.
- To design and deliver training to colleagues and client departments.
Qualifications and Requirements:
To join us, you must be a qualified Barrister, Solicitor or FILEX with advocacy rights, with ideally Higher Rights of Audience. You will have experience in conducting advocacy in a wide variety of care and related proceedings in the Family Court, as well as representing clients at advocate’s meetings. A childcare specialist, you’ll be confident and capable – ready to work independently and act upon your initiative. You’ll also be able and committed to working in a flexible way, including outside normal office hours when necessary. Whilst a local authority background would be an advantage, we’ll also welcome experience in private practice. Alternatively, you could be counsel who has completed pupillage or a professional who has built up transferable skills in another in-house role. You must have a good working knowledge of local government law as well as childcare legislation. We’re also looking for the ability to formulate and present quality legal robust arguments before the Courts on behalf of our clients, both orally and in writing, within hearings of varying lengths and complexity. To be considered, you must have initiative, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and commitment to the job. You will work within a friendly, welcoming and supportive team where your professional development will be nurtured and appreciated.
Terms and conditions:
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks;
- Satisfactory declaration of interest;
- Satisfactory DBS check;
- Continued professional body registration;
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the ‘Apply’ button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines to us how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both, service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives:
- Promoting equality of opportunity
- Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage
- Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels.
- Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all.
Respecting Diversity is a core Council value.
To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme. For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy.
We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual's personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below or feel free to discuss this during your interview.
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact Sahdiah Ikram, Principal Lawyer, Family Legal Team, Legal Services, email: sahdiah.ikram@waltham.forest.gov.uk
If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post, please contact our Recruitment Team via email at recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk.
Fraud Awareness Notice: The London Borough of Waltham Forest only advertises vacancies via our official website and approved recruitment platforms (e.g. Jobsgopublic). We will never ask for payment or request sensitive personal or financial information as part of our recruitment process. If you are contacted by a third party claiming to represent the Council, please verify the vacancy via our official careers website before sharing any information. If you have concerns about a job advert or communication, please report it to: fraud@walthamforest.gov.uk
**INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY** Junior Childcare Advocate in Walthamstow employer: Borough of Waltham Forest
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work environment that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. As a Good Work Standard employer, we are committed to fair pay, diversity, and providing opportunities for career advancement, all while serving a culturally rich community. Join us in making a meaningful impact in the lives of our residents while enjoying a supportive team atmosphere and flexible working arrangements.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land **INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY** Junior Childcare Advocate in Walthamstow
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Borough of Waltham Forest.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Borough of Waltham Forest!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Borough of Waltham Forest, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Borough of Waltham Forest or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace **INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY** Junior Childcare Advocate in Walthamstow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Borough of Waltham Forest:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Borough of Waltham Forest! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Borough of Waltham Forest
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
