Child Protection Lawyer

Surrey County Council; Horsell; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - GBP 59,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in England is seeking a Child Protection Lawyer to join its legal team. The role includes managing a varied childcare caseload, providing expert legal advice, and undertaking advocacy. The position offers a salary range of £47,142 to £58,953 and benefits such as generous annual leave and a hybrid work policy. This role is ideal for solicitors or barristers with a passion for child protection law and a desire to contribute to a supportive team environment.

Benefits

26 days' holiday, rising with service

Employee Assistance Programme

Lifestyle discounts

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Eligible to practice in England and Wales with a current practicing certificate.
• Ability to manage a varied caseload and deliver innovative solutions.
• Experience or aptitude for advocacy in legal matters.

Responsibilities

• Manage childcare caseload including pre-proceedings and court applications.
• Provide legal advice to the Council about children's legal responsibilities.
• Undertake advocacy on behalf of the County Council.

Skills

Solicitor/Barrister/Fellow of CILEX

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Advocacy experience

Ability to manage a caseload

Education

Current practicing certificate eligibility

Job description

• Location: Victoria Gate, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6JD

Description

The salary range for this role is £47,142 to £58,953 per annum, based on working 36-hours per week. This isdepending on experience (with a Lawyers Career Scheme providing the opportunity for permanent staff to progress to £58,953).

Are you looking for a new opportunity to develop your career in Childcare Law? We are seeking a Child Protection Lawyer to join our fantastic legal team, based at Victoria Gate in Woking.

The Council adopts a hybrid working policy with flexible working arrangements which includes coming together in person for 2 days per week on average (40% of the working week). The team are very approachable (even when working remotely!) so there will always be someone to provide you with support and discuss matters.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Role

As a Child Protection Lawyer at Surrey, you will joina supportive, successful and Lexcel accredited in-house legal team that delivers effective legal advice, representation and assistance to the Council. Our team culture is one which is supportive and engaged. We have regular team away days where we connect and collaborate with one another, leaving us feeling motivated and energised about our roles.

You will be expected to carry out a range of key responsibilities, which will include:

• Managing a varied and interesting childcare caseload consisting of both pre-proceedings and applications before the Court
• Undertaking advocacy on behalf of the County Council
• Providing expert legal advice to the Council in respect of its duties and responsibilities in respect of children and young people, including those in respect of adoption

You will be supported through training, regular supervision and development plans to continue learning and developing your expertise and so achieve successful progression through the career scheme.If joining us on a permanent basis, you will have the opportunity to join our Lawyers Career Scheme which will allow for accelerated career and salary progression based on performance.

Working together with frontline Children's Services to safeguard children, we play a pivotal role in the Council's drive to ensure no one is left behind. We were previously nominated for a STARS in Surrey award for teamwork and get consistently excellent client feedback. If you are interested in developing and enhancingyour existing skills whilst undertaking quality and varied work in the areaof child protection, we'd love to hear from you!

A current Lawyer in the team says...

"As a team lawyer at Surrey County Council, my daily work involves working collaboratively with social workers and other professionals, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of each case and fostering a holistic approach to problem-solving. This enables us to develop tailored legal strategies that address the specific needs of the children and families involved in cases spanning a broad-spectrum including PLO proceedings, care proceedings, deprivation of liberty applications, among others. In this role, I have the responsibility of representing and advising clients in diverse childcare cases ranging from initial proceedings to complex matters like adoption and special guardianship. The flexibility provided by agile working enhances my work-life balance, allowing me to adapt my working hours and locations to accommodate personal commitments while fulfilling my professional responsibilities."

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• You are Solicitor, barrister or Fellow of CILEX (with family ligation and advocacy practice rights) who is eligible to practise in England and Wales and has (or be in a position to apply for) a current practicing certificate issued by the relevant regulatory authority.
• You are able to manage a full and varied caseload and deliver innovative solutions with appropriate supervision.
• You have excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners and professionals.
• You have experience of or an aptitude for advocacy.
• You have an understanding of and are able to uphold the values of Surrey County Council.

You could be newly qualified or someone with extensive experience in either the private or public sector. We recognise transferable skills and have a track record of supporting Lawyers to further develop their skills in this rewarding area. You will be trained and supported to undertake advocacy commensurate with your experience and alongside this will hold a quality caseload of child protection cases.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 22/02/2026 with interviews to follow.

Should you wish to join a large, friendly, dedicated and experienced team of lawyers please click the apply button below to submit your application!

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to one new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.