Legal career advice please

Hi all, I am trying to get an apprenticeship to start Blackhall this Sept, but am unsuccessful thus far.
I have obviously passed all 8 FE-1's, and I hold a degree in business and legal studies from UCD (only a 2:2) and I have 8 years business experience in finance - mainly dealing with hire purchase agreements.

I am trying to decide how best to spend this next year to make me more attractive to firms.
The areas im interested in are compliance/regulation/auditing, and ADR such as arbitration. The subjects I really enjoyed studing were EU and criminal.
These are areas I would like to gain experience in.
Can anyone recommend firms or bodies that would be good to approach regarding work experience.

My main stumbling block is that I have three children that I would need to pay childcare costs for while doing this unpaid work experience so a 6 or 9 month work placement is out of the question.
Really all I could afford is a couple of weeks here and there or preferably working one set day a week for a longer period.
I have looked on the FAS website but the work placements are all 6 or 9 months and they dont cover childcare costs while on them.

Is unpaid work experience hard to come by, are firms willing to take someone on for a few weeks/one day a week?

I just need advice on what to do next please.

Edited to add that I'm also seriously considering doing the LLM (general) in UCD, I think I need this to bolster the poor undergrad degree.
It's only about 6 hours a week so I could organise childcare, I'd be using the money I have saved for BHP fees to cover the masters fees.

Another possible option is I know a solicitor who doesn't want to take me on as he is near retirement. He may be persuaded to sign my indentures so I can attend BHP but I don't think he could actually keep me on next April so I'd have to look for another traineeship.
Good idea or not? Would it be easier, harder or indifferent to get one with PPC1 done?