Children’s Legal Centre (University of Swansea) 2022
Job Title
Child Rights Fellow
Department
Children's Legal Centre
Reports to
Swansea Law Clinic Manager
Location
Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law - This position will be based at the Singleton Campus. As some of the Fellowship will be spent on placement with partner legal practices (about 50%), the Fellow will be required to be based at the partner’s office for the period of the placement. Appropriate allowances will available to cover reasonable travel costs to placements and to undertake the role of the Child Rights Fellow.
Grade/Salary
Grade 6, £27,131- £33,649.38 per annum
Hours
35 hours p/week, Monday-Friday, flexible between 8 am and 6 pm. Some weekend working may occasionally be required to deliver events etc. Time off in lieu will be given for any weekend working.
Established 2016, the Children’s Legal Centre Wales (CLC Wales) improves the lives of children (<18 years) in Wales, their parents or carers by providing information, […]
Organisation Detail
Established 2016, the Children’s Legal Centre Wales (CLC Wales) improves the lives of children (<18 years) in Wales, their parents or carers by providing information, engagement and advocacy services to promote children rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and Welsh law. Find out more here
To deliver its sustainable top 30 ambition Swansea University needs a professional services workforce with the differentiated skills necessary to ensure that it can deliver excellence through efficient and effective systems and processes that harness innovations in technology.
Background Information
The Child Rights Fellow will be based at the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, Children’s Legal Centre. The Children’s Legal Centre is established to provide legal advice and information to children (aged under 18 years of age), through an online platform (https://childrenslegalcentre.wales) as well as through public engagement and the delivery of Public Legal Education. The Child Rights Fellow will make a strong contribution to meeting the Children’s Legal Centre’s ambition to develop its legal advice and advocacy service for children and their families, as well as to enhancing its Public Legal Education profile.
Main Purpose of Post
The Fellow will be line-managed by the Swansea Law Clinic Manager. [1] With appropriate supervision from a dedicated Training Principal, the Fellow will undertake legal services work at the Children’s Legal Centre and on placement with partner legal practices at a level consistent with the training requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) for a Period of Recognised Training (24 months). This will include:
Completion of any mandatory training for time-to-time specified by the SRA.
Client casework, including preparing cases for trial.
Further details under ‘General Duties’ 1-8. [2] Liaising with the Swansea law Clinic Manager, the Fellow will undertake planning and delivery of advice, information and advocacy services to further the work of the Children’s Legal Centre, including:
Planning and delivering legal outreach services.
Identifying, initiating and supporting strategic litigation.
Policy influencing and policy advocacy, in particular with government (at all levels) in Wales.
Planning and delivering training, including Public Legal Education.
Further details under ‘General Duties’ 1-17. [3] The Fellow will develop and implement an agreed project that will advance access to justice for children in Wales, including a project plan which they will devise and implement over the period of the Fellowship. Further details under ‘General Duties’ 18.
General Duties
The Fellow will:
Undertake legal casework on behalf of the Children’s Legal Centre and while on placement with partner legal practices.
Advise clients identified by the Children’s Legal Centre and/or partner legal practices, on the law.
Maintain appropriate client records.
Carry out legal research necessary to undertake client case work.
Carry out negotiation and representation for clients identified by the Children’s Legal Centre and/or partner legal practices.
Carry out drafting and preparation of legal documents or submissions relating to casework as required.
Assist with the preparation of applications for legal aid public funding and the processing of legal aid applications in accordance with the Regulations governing legal aid.
Undertake such other duties as may be directed by partner organisations whilst on placement provided these are consistent with the work of the partner organisations and are reasonable.
NB: client casework for the Children’s Legal Centre will exclusively concern the law relating to children and young people (aged under 18 years), and their families. Client casework while on placement will be primarily concerned with the law relating to children and young people and their families, but will also include casework associated with general legal practice. The Fellow will:
Participate in Children’s Legal Centre casework meetings to identify, initiate, support and conduct strategic litigation, including by supporting external partners to conduct litigation on matters involving children and young people’s rights
Participate in Swansea Law Clinic casework meetings to identify, opportunities for co-working on Law Clinic cases to enable strategic litigation, including by supporting Law Clinic external partners to conduct litigation on matters involving children and young people’s rights.
Based on client casework and/or work with partner legal practices and/or work with other organisations working in the field of children’s rights, to identify the need for, initiate, plan and deliver legal outreach services.
Undertake planning and deliver of Public Legal Education on children’s rights to raise awareness and promote the aims of the Children’s Legal Centre.
Contribute and assist in the production and revision of Children’s Legal Centre online and hardcopy resources to reflect changes in the law.
Undertake training, supervision and development as relevant to the work of the post including shadowing Children’s Legal Centre partners.
Contribute to the overall operation, advancement and strategic development of the Children’s Legal Centre, in accordance with organisational aims and objectives.
Participate in networks, seminars, webinars and other forums to promote the work of the Children’s Legal Centre including policy advocacy on behalf of children and young people.
Assist Children’s Legal Centre staff and volunteers as required, and in particular on matters relating to individual requests for advice and information on the law pertaining to children and young people.
Initiate, prepare and deliver a project focusing on a developing aspect of children and young people’s human rights relevant to the work of the Children’s Legal Centre and access to justice in Wales, to include a project report and recommendations for action.
And in addition the Fellow will ensure they:
Fully engage with the University’s Performance Enabling and Welsh language policies.
Promote equality and diversity in working practices and to maintain positive working relationships.
Contribute to the continual improvement of health and safety performance through a good understanding of a positive health and safety culture.
Act in compliance with the University's Risk Management Policy.
Undertake any other duties as directed by their Head of College or line-manager consistent with the post of Child Rights Fellow.
Professional Services Values
The Fellow will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to Professional Service values at Swansea University in the day to day delivery of their role. These are:
We are Professional
We take pride in applying our knowledge, skills, creativity, integrity and judgement to deliver innovative, effective, efficient services and solutions of excellent quality
We Work Together
We take pride in working in a proactive, collaborative environment of equality, trust, respect, co-operation and challenge to deliver services that strive to exceed the needs and expectations of customers.
We Care
We take responsibility for listening, understanding and responding flexibly to our students, colleagues, external partners and the public so that every contact they have with us is a personalised and positive experience.Commitment to our values at Swansea University supports us in promoting equality and valuing diversity to utilise all the talent that we have.
Person Specification
Essential CriteriaValues
A commitment to children's rights as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
A commitment to equal opportunities and diversity.
A commitment to pride in delivering professional services and solutions.
A commitment to work together with others in an environment of equality, trust and respect
A desire to deliver services that strive to exceed the needs and expectations of clients.
Qualifications
Successful completion of the Legal Practice Course.
Experience
Experience in using Microsoft Office, email and the internet and legal research programs;
Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge of at least one, preferably two of the following areas: children’s rights; human rights; equality law; child and family law; education law; special educational needs; disability; public law; social welfare; mental health law; community care; children in need; youth justice; access to justice. (Evidence here may include study at undergraduate level).
Knowledge of the Human Rights Act 1998, European Convention on Human Rights and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office systems, including Outlook and Word.
Ability to work accurately and with attention to detail, paying particular attention to appropriate regulatory and other contextual frameworks.
Ability to work independently to meet deadlines.
Ability to ‘self-start’ and initiate their own work, and to be innovative to meet need.
Ability to plan and deliver work objectives.
Excellent personal organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise tasks.
Effective oral and written communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills to deal with telephone, email and face to face contact.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Desirable Criteria
A 2:1 or higher Law degree.
Experience of working with children and young people (including voluntary work).
Experience of providing legal advice (including in a voluntary capacity).
Experience of advocacy or representation work (including in a voluntary capacity).
Experience of producing information materials and/or training resources.
Experience of explaining complex legal issues and merits of case clearly taking into account a client’s age and developmental capacity (including in a voluntary capacity).
Experience at responding to legal queries (including in a voluntary capacity).
Ability to communicate in Welsh.
Ability to communicate in other languages including British Sign Language.
Informal enquiries: Hannah Busscott, Law Centre Manager:
H.J.Bussicott@swansea.ac.uk
As this work may involve some direct contact with children a satisfactory DBS certificate must be provided before a start date can be confirmed
