Hybrid working – 3 out of 5 days working in the London office.
Grade/Salary
£27,824.00 (inclusive of London Weighting) - NJC Scale SC 5
Hours
35 hours per week
Interview Dates
Tuesday 31st January 2023 & Tuesday 7th February 2023
We seek to create a more socially just society, where the child welfare and family justice systems support children to live safely and thrive within their family, while strengthening the family and community networks of children who cannot live at home.
We seek to ensure that:
Families involved with the child welfare system are treated fairly, have their rights respected and are able to make informed decisions;
Children and families get help they need, so wherever possible children can live safely within their family;
All children, including those in care, have lasting and supportive relationships throughout their lives;
Our child welfare system – and wider society – promotes social justice, creating conditions that enable children to achieve their potential;
Children and families’ voices drive decision making at an individual and strategic level within the child welfare system.
We do this through:
A free, specialist advice service for parents and families, supporting them to understand their rights and options, and navigate child welfare processes;
Supporting local authorities through provision of resources, training and consultancy;
Finding innovative family-led ways to improve child welfare;
Promoting families’ voices;
Research and lobbying for legislative and policy changes.
Organisation Detail
Family Rights Group is a national charity whose aims are to enable children to be raised safely and thrive within their family and community and to strengthen the positive family and community support networks of young people who cannot live with their parents. Family Rights Group advises and supports over 6000 families a year who require, or are involved with, children’s social care services because of child welfare needs or concerns.
Organisation detail
Established in 1974, Family Rights Group (FRG) works with parents in England and Wales whose children are in need, at risk or are in the care system, and with members of the wider family and friends network who are raising children unable to remain at home. We advise parents, grandparents and other relatives and friends about their rights and options when social workers or courts make decisions about their children’s welfare.
FRG runs a specialist legal advice service for families involved in the child welfare and family justice system. The service comprises:
A confidential, free phone line for families open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3.00pm
Free, up to date information via the FRG website including Frequently Asked Questions, interactive advice features, and electronic advice sheets
A moderated electronic discussion board for parents and a separate discussion board for families and friends carers (i.e. relatives, such as grandparents, older siblings or friends who are raising a child who is unable to live with their parents. Family and friends carers are also known as kinship carers).
The charity promotes effective family support, the increased involvement of families in decision making, advocacy for families when child protection processes are initiated and adequate support for kinship carers. We champion family group conferences and Lifelong Links, alongside other policies and practices that keep children safe within their family and strengthen the positive family and support networks of those children who cannot live with their parents. These goals drive the development of projects and services, as well as our campaign activity. All of Family Rights Group’s campaigning, policy and research work is informed by families with experience of the child welfare system.
For further information, visit our website at www.frg.org.uk. Any questions regarding this organisation or the position should be directed to Jessica Johnston, Legal Adviser jjohnston@frg.org.uk.
Any questions regarding this organisation or the position should be directed to clynch@frg.org.uk
Job Description
Job description Job profile
This is a unique and exciting opportunity, funded by the Legal Education Foundation, for a trainee solicitor to join the Family Rights Group (FRG) legal team. The trainee solicitor will:
work alongside FRG’s Principal Legal Adviser and Legal Advisers and closely with the organisation’s advice & advocacy service as well as with wider policy team colleagues
benefit from a six-month, full-time secondment to Goodman Ray solicitors in London, during which time there will be opportunity to work on children’s public law matters and private law and domestic abuse cases.
Responsibilities
Under supervision, and commensurate with skill and experience, provide telephony and written advice and advocacy for families involved with children’s social care services and the family justice system including families:
seeking help from social care services
who are subject to child protection procedures
whose children are in local authority care or placed for adoption.
Assist with the preparation of weekly and quarterly legal and practice updates for the advice & advocacy service and wider organisation
Review, update and develop advice materials for FRG’s advice & advocacy service
Assist in provision of legal advice and legal support to FRG’s projects and programmes including FGCs and Lifelong Links
Assist with the drafting of briefing notes for parliamentarians, FRG projects & programmes, working groups and alliances with which FRG is involved
Assist the legal team colleagues and wider policy team in analysing legal and socio-legal material and government data to identify gaps, tensions and injustices within existing legal, policy and practice frameworks
Contribute to the development of responses and recommendations in relation to reform of legislation policy and practice
Conduct legal research to inform and support FRG’s advice-giving, campaigning, influencing and strategic litigation activities
Support the engagement of families in FRG’s legal and policy work and service developments and engage with families and practitioners in promoting FRG’s objectives
Undertake a six-month, full-time secondment to high street London based law firm working on children’s public law matters and private law and domestic abuse cases.
Comply with the requirements of the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority in ensuring that training records are kept.
Comply with the requirements of the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority in attending the Professional Skills Course by prior arrangement with the supervising solicitor.
To contribute to the overall work of the organisation, and to attend staff and policy meetings, training and development meetings and other relevant events as required.
Undertake other tasks as are broadly compatible with the remit of the post
Ensure that work undertaken is delivered in accordance with FRG’s equalities policy.
Person Specification
Essential (E) or Desirable (D)Qualifications and experience
Qualifying Law Degree or GDL (E)
Successful completion of the Legal Practice Course (LPC) by 31 October 2022 (E)
Demonstrable interest in children law (E)
Taken a family law elective as part of the Legal Practice Course (D)
Experience of legal work or of providing advice and advocating for others (D)
Experience of working in the voluntary sector (D)
Knowledge and learning
Intellectual curiosity and strong problem-solving skills (E)
Ability to analyse, understand and apply legal principles (E)
An interest in drafting, and influencing the wording of, legislation and guidance (E)
An understanding of, and interest in, the role of the voluntary sector in providing specialist advice and in influencing legal and policy change (E)
The ability to review your work and seek opportunities to learn new skills (E)
Anti-discriminatory practice
You will be able to demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of the way in which discrimination impacts on families, including minority ethnic families, asylum seeking families and parents with disabilities. (E)
Communication skills
You will have the ability to:
Communicate clearly in writing and verbally to different audiences (E)
Draft documents and correspondence in plain, jargon-free English (E)
Provide clear, concise written and verbal reports (E)
Work sympathetically and effectively with a wide variety of clients including people who are under a great deal of emotional stress (E)
Work co-operatively with others and find positive ways forward in difficult situations (E)
Develop good working relationships with people from other organisations (E)
Self-management
Ability to use initiative at work, contribute ideas and help develop projects (E)
Excellent organisational skills, able to manage time efficiently working to firm deadlines and negotiating conflicting priorities (E)
Experienced in using Microsoft Office applications including Word (E), Excel (D) and willing to build on these skills
Experience of using Salesforce or other case management software (D).
Other
An understanding of, and commitment to, the aims of Family Rights Group (E)
Family Rights Group is committed to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children and will require the successful applicant to undertake an enhanced check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (E)
You will be able to stay away from home overnight occasionally and attend some early morning/late evening meetings (E).
