Legal Officers (Child Advocates) undertake child advocacy functions, as delegated by the Public Guardian, for children and young people in the child protection system in accordance with the Public Guardian Act 2014.

The role aims to ensure children and young people’s voices are considered in legal decision making, particularly in child protection proceedings and that their rights are upheld.

Job details

Our workplace

The Department of Justice delivers integrated criminal, civil and community justice services to enable a fair, safe and inclusive society for all Queenslanders.

Join us as we:

• safeguard the rights of vulnerable people
• reduce over-representation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system
• end domestic, family and sexual violence
• minimise gambling harm.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform child advocacy functions, for children and young people in the child protection system in areas of law such as child protection, youth justice, education, human rights and administrative law.
• Advise, assist and support children and young people to uphold their rights, access information about decisions, and ensure their views and wishes are heard in family group meetings, court ordered conferences and hearings.
• Advocate for children and young people in meetings, the Childrens Court and the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) so that their views are considered in decision making.
• Build and sustain positive relationships with team members and external stakeholders.
• Support and mentor other team members in the performance of their role and functions as required.
• Ensure all work complies with data entry and reporting requirements and meets all other corporate and professional responsibilities.

Mandatory Qualifications

You must have a law degree from a recognised tertiary institution and be admitted, or you must be eligible for immediate admission as a legal practitioner in Queensland.

You must possess a C class driver's licence.

A mandatory condition of this role is a Working with Children Check clearance (Blue Card). If you do not already have one, OPG will guide you on how to apply.

Desirable Qualifications

It is desirable that applicants have a minimum of 2 years post-admission professional experience in relevant areas of law.

Applications to remain current for 12 months.

Further information

We are committed to building inclusive cultures in the Queensland public sector that respect and promote human rights and diversity.

Please ensure you download all attachments and follow the instructions on how to apply.

Part-time position (0.8 FTE) - 58 hours per fortnight.

Documents

Before applying for this vacancy please ensure you read the documents below.

• 646644 25 - OPG Applicant Information Package (PDF, 681KB)
  
  
  646644A 25 - Role Description (Word, 379KB)