My name is Rachael McCallum. I am currently a third year LLB Law student at the University of Stirling and I am currently volunteering once a week at the Scottish Child Law Centre. I am doing this volunteering placement as part of a third year Honours module at the university whereby each student was allocated a placement within an area of law which they were most interested in. I am extremely interested in family and child law so when I was told that I would be coming to the Scottish Child Law Centre I was over the moon and the placement has certainly not disappointed. There are many other students taking this module at many different law firms all over Scotland but I think at the Scottish Child Law Centre, I have been allowed to do more than anyone else has at their placement. I have been allowed to delve right into cases and have been doing research on specialised cases in order to help another volunteer with his dissertation. Volunteering at the Scottish Child Law Centre has also given me lots of ideas for my dissertation and I was also granted the honour of being able to come back once my volunteering is finished to use the centres resources for my dissertation. This is a great opportunity for me because the lawyers and interns who work here can offer so much and the resources are endless. I am really enjoying working in a relaxed setting whilst also being able to knuckle down and get work done. Everyone I have met at the centre has been extremely accommodating and has given me advice whenever I have needed it. I would strongly recommend anyone with an interest in family and child law to volunteer here as there is so much to gain and there is certainly lots of work to be done! I could really imagine myself working in a place like this in the future and am seriously considering continuing to volunteer even after my module is finished at the end of the year. I haven’t been here for too long but I am really excited and looking forward to all the exciting things that will be happening at the centre over the next 6 months!
Scottish Child Law Centre Blog 