Child Care Solicitor

Child Care Solicitor - Minimum 40% of time spent in the office, Civic Centre, Gateshead.

Protecting children. Supporting families. Upholding the law.

Who we are & what we stand for

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.

We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.

Protecting children. Supporting families. Upholding the law.

You'll be joining our supportive and fast-paced Litigation Team — a group of 17 legal professionals who work collaboratively to deliver high-quality advice, case preparation and in-house advocacy across a wide range of matters. With a strong mix of experience, including colleagues with Higher Rights of Audience, the team handles complex and sensitive cases with professionalism and a problem-solving approach. It’s a friendly, dedicated team where continuous learning, teamwork and delivering great outcomes are central to how we work.

Championing safeguarding through expert legal practice.

In this role, you’ll provide clear, timely and solution-focused legal advice, support and advocacy in all areas of child-care law, including public law proceedings, PLO work and deprivation of liberty matters. You’ll manage your own caseload with the support of an experienced management team, prepare high-quality legal documents, and represent the Local Authority in court. Strong drafting, communication and negotiation skills are essential, along with the ability to work confidently on complex or sensitive cases in a fast-paced environment.

What you'll get to do:

• Provide legal advice, support and advocacy in all aspects of public law, including the PLO process, case management of public law proceedings, and representation of the local authority in public law court hearings.
• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, particularly in relation to public law proceedings, adoption and deprivation of liberty.
• Represent Legal Services at external meetings with partner agencies, PLO meetings and in public law court hearings.
• Take responsibility for preparing and effectively managing child-care cases, including public law proceedings and deprivation of liberty matters.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external clients and key stakeholders.
• Instruct external specialists as required.
• Maintain close contact with the Legal Manager on all key issues.
• Respond positively to reasonable requests to undertake other responsibilities appropriate to the grade of the post.

What you'll bring:

• Strong understanding of all aspects of child-care law, including the Children Act, deprivation of liberty law, case law, guidance, procedures and policy.
• Qualified solicitor or barrister with specialist knowledge of public law children’s proceedings and safeguarding legislation.
• Ability to provide clear, timely and solution-focused legal advice to social workers and multi-agency partners.
• Confident advocacy skills, including attending and conducting hearings.
• Excellent case-management abilities, with strong prioritisation skills to manage a fast-paced and demanding caseload.
• Strong drafting skills, including preparing court applications, threshold documents and detailed legal advice.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills, with sound judgment, resilience and the ability to influence and constructively challenge, especially in complex or sensitive safeguarding matters.

What’s in it for you

• Competitive Salary : We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme : We don’t just offer a great salary – we invest in your future too. Find out what benefits a Local Government Pension provides:
• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Flexible Working Hours : Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
• Hybrid & Flexible Working : We support a healthy work-life balance with flexible and hybrid working options.
• Learning & Development : Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Health & Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax-efficient cycle to work programme.
• Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions – a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).
• Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services – plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service).

Everyone's welcome here

Were an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. At Gateshead Council we're an employer who embraces, and welcomes diversity, who's truly inclusive and who demonstrates equality for all. We'll go the extra mile so that our approach is representative of the communities we serve and each other. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Ready to join us? Here's how

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, we’d love to hear from you.

You can apply online by pressing the apply now button. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.

We advise you to be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any of the above which are relevant to the role to which you are applying.

If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team via View email address on northeastjobs.org.uk

Please note: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application.

Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.