Farida Uddin Email & Phone Number

Uk

Level 3 INTRODUCTION TO ADVOCACY  Championing voice of young people and advocating on their behalf in a number of different areas of law, including children, education/ housing and immigration law.  Regularly conducting return interviews  Attending CIN, CPC and other statutory meetings/appeals to represent views of children.  Supporting young parents throughout CP and PLO process, and helping them to understand legal issues and respond to concerns. Working with professionals to ensure child’s wishes are heard in respect of contact/long term placement. Drafting statements.  Successfully applying for placement freeze. Dealing with sensitive cases including issues of MH/Drug/Alcohol abuse/exploitation etc. Assessing risk of harm and working with professionals to deal with any safeguarding concerns.  Dealing with cases in a proactive manner to demand rights of family/education etc. For example I have on numerous occasions helped to get young people back into education and helped gain family reunification. This achievement has been recognised by fellow professionals.  Establishing working relationships with different professionals and young people, with the ability to put them at ease and obtain further referrals. Ability to work within legal framework and consistently meet deadlines.  Working independently and carrying out research into various areas of law.  Drafting comprehensive complaint letters in complex cases, and winning appeals to obtain better housing for care leavers.  Confidently advocating on behalf of clients when national standards have not been adhered to in a variety of contexts, such as social work/care homes etc.  Working within privacy and data protection law.  Identifying breaches of standard by council staff, to then drafting persuasive complaints and helping to negotiate suitable remedy.  Representing clients in appeal hearings with senior management, resulting in policy changes being made by council.

London, England, United Kingdom

Coram Voice Telephone Advocate – October - February 2017 and July – December 2019 Working directly with children/ young people in the care system. Supporting and advising on their rights and entitlements. Assessing cases and then helping to make legal challenges where breaches of the law have occurred. Supporting the vulnerable and helping them in time critical situations, including homeless youths and those that have suffered abuse and displaying suicidal tendencies.  Making safeguarding referrals where necessary and liaising with MASH team to ensure risk element has been minimised. My role included exercising diligence/care and sensitivity throughout. Also helping to empower care leavers to make retrospective legal challenges against various government agencies.  Drafting letters and being familiar with the Children Act and Care Leavers Act.

Wembley, England, United Kingdom

 Helping safeguard children in youth football on a national basis. Dealing with serious cases of sexual/ physical and emotional abuse, to those involving allegations of grooming and poor practice.  Using clear management skills to supervise 12 county FA child welfare officers, in all of their child protection queries, including those that stem from the professional clubs such as Manchester Utd/ Liverpool/ Everton Leeds and Newcastle FC. Managing approximately 150 files from initial allegation stages to final orders. Attending allegations management and strategy meetings to representing the views of The FA. Assessing immediate risk of harm posed by individuals, to then devising and implementing safeguarding strategies in a timely fashion, including issuing football suspensions or conditions for supervised contact. Working together with statutory agencies including LADOs’ to assess long term view of risk of harm. Analysing professional/police reports and producing risk assessments for final hearings. Instructing specialist independent risk assessors and psychologists in complex cases, including from the Lucy Faithful Foundation and The NSPCC. Also instructing mentors to address boundary issues and grooming through social media. Frequently assessing reports and drafting orders to ensure adequate safety measures are in place.  Defending The FA in cases where human rights breaches have been alleged.  Assessing Enhanced CRB’s with details of ongoing police intelligence. Advising professional clubs on issues of safeguarding and adjudicating where abuse has been alleged. Carrying out investigations, interviewing, assessing witness reports to make findings and recommendations on the issue of abuse.  Dealing with cases effectively in high profile cases with media interest. Using communication and advocacy skills to present cases to safeguarding review panel on monthly basis. Persuading Panel to issue orders in accordance with my recommendations.

Harrow, England, United Kingdom

 Work confidently in both private and public children law proceedings. Responsible for managing own caseload under minimal supervision, to ensure compliance with court directions and deadlines.  Advising and interviewing clients in a variety of cases including, care proceedings/EPO and Special Guardianship applications.  Undertaking all preparatory work in respect of making court applications and drafting letters of instructions for experts and counsel. Analysing evidence and drafting statements in response to LA evidence. Taking steps to minimise damage to client.  Liaising with professionals on a regular basis, including psychologists, police and doctors.  Organising and attending Professionals/Advocates meeting. Attending child protection conferences and advising client on outcome of same.  Carrying out research into different areas of law and using the same as evidence at court. Presenting information to colleagues. Advising clients in respect of divorce and injunction matters. Preparing and issuing relevant applications to court including divorce petitions, decree absolute, decree of judicial separation non - molestation and occupation orders. Preparing schedule of assets, replies to questionnaire and drafting the questionnaire. Attending FDR hearing and advising client on merit of settlement at court. Assisting in drafting Consent Order and dealing with all aspects of execution of Final Order in AR proceedings.