Role: Family Solicitor – Childcare
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Salary: £35,000 – £40,000
Contract: Full time, permanent, hybrid

CRA Consulting is pleased to be working with a highly regarded law firm to recruit a Childcare Solicitor to join its established and supportive Family Law team.
This is an outstanding opportunity for a Newly Qualified Solicitor or someone with up to two years' PQE looking to build a specialist career in public children law. You'll work alongside experienced practitioners, receiving excellent supervision, mentoring and training while gradually developing your own caseload of legally aided childcare matters.
If you're passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of vulnerable children and families, this role offers the ideal platform to develop your expertise within a collaborative and respected team.

The Role

Working closely with experienced childcare solicitors, you'll assist with and progressively manage a varied caseload of public law children matters. You'll advise and represent parents, family members and children involved in care proceedings and related applications, while gaining exposure to complex and rewarding cases.
As your experience develops, you'll take on increasing responsibility for your own files with continued support from senior colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with and manage a caseload of public law childcare matters.
• Advise and represent clients in:
  • Care proceedings
  • Emergency Protection Orders
  • Interim Care Order applications
  • Special Guardianship Order applications
  • Placement and adoption proceedings
  • Other public law children matters
• Attend court hearings, client meetings and conferences with counsel and professionals.
• Prepare legal documents, witness statements, applications and correspondence.
• Liaise with clients, local authorities, Children's Guardians, experts and other professionals.
• Ensure compliance with Legal Aid Agency requirements and regulatory obligations.
• Deliver a high standard of client care, recognising the sensitive nature of childcare proceedings.

About You

To be considered, you will:

• Be a qualified Solicitor in England & Wales or due to qualify shortly.
• Have a genuine interest in developing a career in childcare and public law children work.
• Have gained relevant experience during your training contract, previous employment, paralegal work or legal placements.
• Possess excellent communication, organisational and client care skills.
• Be able to manage competing priorities within a busy legal environment.
• Demonstrate empathy, professionalism and resilience when supporting vulnerable clients.

Desirable Experience

• Exposure to care proceedings or public children law matters.
• Court attendance or advocacy experience.
• Knowledge of Legal Aid Agency procedures and public funding.
• A long-term ambition to specialise in childcare law.

What's on Offer?

• Comprehensive supervision and mentoring from experienced childcare specialists.
• Structured training and ongoing professional development.
• Clear opportunities for career progression and long-term development.
• A supportive, collaborative working environment.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

This is an excellent opportunity to establish your career within a respected childcare team where you'll receive the support, guidance and experience needed to become a confident and successful specialist in public children law.

Additional Information:

CRA Legal follow strict best practice recruitment guidelines monitored by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Please note our advertisements use salary levels purely as a guide. However we are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role.

This vacancy is very popular with the local legal community, so please apply quickly to ensure your application is considered. As part of our candidate registration and care process we at CRA Legal aim to respond to all successful applications within 2 working days.