We have a fantastic opportunity to join our childcare paralegal team!

Our paralegals play a vital role within a friendly and supportive childcare legal service, helping to ensure the effective progression of cases before the Court.

We are seeking someone who has experience of working in a busy childcare legal team within a local authority.

The team operates on a hybrid basis, with a combination of weekly office attendance and additional in-person working as required to support colleagues and casework.

This is a fixed term role, providing maternity leave cover. It is a hybrid role, and there is a requirement that a minimum of 1 day will be spent working from the office location, in Stafford.

In this role you'll:

• Provide a full range of administrative and legal support to the childcare legal team to assist the effective progression of cases.
• Operate within a case management and bundling system to ensure that cases are progressed accurately and on time.
• Undertake supervised legal casework appropriate to experience, helping to progress matters efficiently.
• Carry out legal and procedural research to support service delivery.
• Assist across the wider Legal Services Unit where required, responding flexibly to workload pressures.
• Support Team Seniors with team administration as needed.
• Maintain high professional standards, including compliance with Lexcel quality requirements and accurate time recording.
• Handle confidential information securely and in line with legal and organisational policies.
• Participate in training and development and contribute to the learning of others where appropriate.
• Comply with health and safety responsibilities and contribute to service improvement and wider organisational objectives.

The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:

• You will hold a relevant paralegal qualification (or equivalent) or have demonstrable experience within the childcare legal field, together with GCSE English (grade C/4 or above, or equivalent).
• Ability to clearly, confidently and effectively communicate in all media forms - verbally, digitally and, in writing.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a high pressured, administrative environment.
• Ability to use own initiative.
• Experience of handling and processing sensitive data in accordance with policy and guidance.
• Have worked in a law firm or local authority family or childcare team over the last 12 months.

Whilst not essential, A Level Law or a law degree would be advantageous.

Interviews will be held on 15th December 2026. 

We value transferable skills, experiences, and qualifications and for an informal chat about the role please contact Joanne Hague, Team Senior Lawyer at joanne.hague@staffordshire.gov.uk

Please apply as soon as possible, as this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised closing date if sufficient, suitable applications are received.

Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role. 

Please note: The minimum criteria in the ideal candidate section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes, detailed below.

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too. 

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.