No central agency representing the views of children and young people

This post is now over 25 years old..
see www.youthparliament.co.uk

Children Act Monitoring Officer

Salary	30,000 per annum + N.I. £6,040.44
Hours	40 hours per week
Holiday	25 days per annum
Notice	20 days for leave up to one month. 10 days for leave up to one week
Age	Applicants shall be aged 16-25 years (except in the 1st year)
Travel	Considerable travelling to various parts of the country needed
Your job will be to help promote and develop New Naypic / Youth Parliament's idea's, policies and practice in as many ways as possible.

NEW NAYPIC / YOUTH PARLIAMENT Structure.
You will be managed and answerable to the National Executive Committee (NEC), which will be voted in at the NAGM, Regional and Local Management Committees. Although you will be managed and answerable to the NEC, regional or local Management Committee, you will be expected to work with them to decide on actions and policies, also to encourage and enable them to take part in as many aspects of your work as possible.
You will be required to distribute monthly written work reports to the NEC or MC. Records must also be kept on all expenditure throughout the months. You will be expected to do most of your own administration, although there will be administrators within the organization that can assist you. Your general duties will involve paper work, incoming and outgoing mail, filing, orders and invoices, accounts and dealing with telephone enquiries concerning the Children Act. The National Administrator should be conversant with all your outside activities.
Meetings and Media.
You will be expected to attend meetings on New Naypic's/ Youth Parliament's behalf. Your first and main priority will be to involve New / Youth Parliament's members in all your outside activities, any meetings regarding the Children Act, its development and ongoing implementation. You will be expected to attend meetings or receive and update information on children act legalities.
From time to time, you will be expected to deal with the media, this will be done in conjunction with New Naypic/ Youth Parliament's Press Officer or Press advisor.
Newsletter.
All workers are expected to produce articles on developments for the National Newsletter.
Casework.
You will be expected to pass casework to specialist child care practice solicitors. The Casework you will be involved with will be specific regarding the Children Act being upheld. The Casework you will pass on and be kept updated on, will be cases that are of national concern to the Organization in up holding the Children Act. The intended outcome will be to assist changes or amendments in the current ChildCare Law.
The outcome is also to identify bad practice and recommend better ways forward. At no time will you on behalf of the organization undertake casework personally.
Networking.
As the Children Act Monitoring Officer, you will be expected to build up a wide variety of legal contact such as:, Child Care Panel Solicitors, Banisters, The Law Society, Legal Departments, in universities, including professors and lecturers. Feeding back to New Naypic / Youth Parliament's development workers and officers in Management identifying good practice - past, present and future.
The Children's Law Center
It is New Naypic / Youth Parliament's intention to work with the children's Legal centers or any other relevant bodies to set up a Children's Law Center. The idea of the Center would be to take on Casework, creating test cases for positive changes in Child Care Law and practice The setting up of the Children's Law Center will be a central focus of your duties. We would expect you to co-ordinate the development of ideas and initiatives from children and young people first and foremost; and secondly, as many relevant professionals or legal bodies as possible.
Fundraising
We will expect you to liaise with our Management on any fundraising ideas you have or any contacts you have made, especially with the setting up of the Children's Law Center.
Library
You will be expected to set up a comprehensive library on test cases, publications, videos and Child Care Law etc.
Mail-Outs
You win be expected to distribute any Interesting information or updates on Child Case Law to the local groups and regional offices, this can be done via e-mail and put into the newsletter.
Personal Awareness
Employees must be aware of the Equal Opportunities practice in New Naypic / Youth Parliament. That is to say that any forms of Sexism, Racism, Homophobia or Prejudice against the physically challenged will not be tolerated. New Naypic / Youth Parliament must ensure that the Equal Opportunities Policy Is practiced and promoted whenever and wherever possible within the National Organization.
Disciplinary Procedure.
In the event of disciplinary action or grievance, the mechanism of our Disciplinary and Grievance procedures will be implemented.
Person's Specifications
Experience
(1) Communication with young people at all levels
(2) Helping young people advising and assisting them
(3) Legal awareness
(4) Having been in care
(5) Dealing with professionals at various levels

Knowledge
(1) Good Knowledge of the child care system
(2) Good knowledge of the relationship between the media and issues relating to young people
(3) Good knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004
(4) Good knowledge of the Criminal Justice Act 1992 and Criminal Justice Act 2003
(5) Good knowledge of young peoples rights and concerns


Skills
(1) Must be able to conduct basic research
(2) Must be able to keep confidentially
(3) Must be committed to and able to implement all of New Naypic / Youth Parliament's policies, particularly the equal opportunities policy
(4) The ability to communicate effectively both in writing and verbally to people at all levels both inside and outside of New Naypic / Youth Parliament
(5) Must be able to accept instruction from the NEC, regional and local management committees.
(6) Must be self motivated and able to work on own initiative
(7) Must be able to use ms office and internet explorer

Circumstances
(2) Must be willing to travel as a representative of the organization
(3) Must be able to give commitment of carrying out work of the organisation alongside its members
(4) Must be willing to go to court cases
(5) Must act professionally at all times when dealing with New Naypic / Youth Parliament's business
(6) Must be willing to learn new skills