We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Children's Safeguarding Lawyer to join our friendly and supportive Legal Services team. This is an exciting opportunity to work on a varied and rewarding caseload, helping to protect vulnerable children and young people while making a real difference within the community. You'll work alongside dedicated colleagues in a collaborative environment, with opportunities to develop your expertise and progress your career.

Special requirements for this post

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (or equivalent).
• Experience of Children’s Safeguarding Law and related court proceedings.
• Ability to undertake advocacy appropriate to your level of experience.
• Willingness to attend courts, hearings, meetings, and evening commitments when required.
• Ability to participate in out-of-hours and holiday cover arrangements.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and excellent public service.

About you

You will be a qualified legal professional with experience in Children’s Safeguarding Law, capable of managing your own caseload and providing practical, high-quality legal advice. You will have excellent communication and drafting skills, sound judgement, and the ability to work effectively in a busy local government environment. A commitment to teamwork, continuous learning, and delivering positive outcomes for children and families is essential.

About us

Barking & Dagenham is changing. It Starts Here.

Think you know Barking and Dagenham? Think again. While this small corner of east London might have a reputation for needing development, scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find active communities and a place that consistently punches above its weight. The borough is changing – and changing for the better. And It Starts Here.

Yes, the borough has its challenges. But it’s on the cusp of something exciting. With one of the youngest populations in the country, ambitions are high and rightly so. 98% of our schools are rated Good or Outstanding and every year more of our talented teenagers get into Russell Group Universities and hotly sought after apprenticeship schemes.

We have award winning parks, centuries old manor houses full of relics and artifacts you can go and see, and the ruins of one of Anglo-Saxon England's most powerful and wealthiest religious sites. We’re even bringing beavers and white storks to the borough to help rewild the local landscape and boost biodiversity.

Over the past few years, we’ve been working hard to improve how we deliver services and support our community. From tackling inequality to making sure our services are the best they can be, we’re focused on what matters most to local people. 

We’re creating the conditions for people to thrive - so everyone can enjoy a good quality of life, feel proud to call this place home, and be part of something bigger.  

#ItStartsHere - with our streets, our schools, our neighbourhoods. And with your application to join our determined team who are passionate about doing what’s best for the future of Barking and Dagenham. 

As an Investors in People Gold Award employer, we’re serious about supporting our staff. From flexible working, professional training and career development to wellbeing initiatives, we want our people to feel valued and supported in everything they do.

Our values, known as

• DRIVE, shape how we work: Deliver our best every day – and do what we promise
• Respond in a prompt, positive way to our community’s needs
• Inspire others with our attitudes and actions
• Value people for who they are and what they can do
• Engage with others to improve our resilience and flexibility We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.