Exploring Expertise: Learning from experience in overseas placement

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Overseas placements can feel like a step into the unknown but exploring these placements can begin the journey toward a lasting, stable, and loving home. It is vital that professionals build their confidence in international placement to maximise positive outcomes for the children they work with.
In this session, we will be joined by two social work managers and independent social workers, Nargis Khatun and Halima Mostofa who will share their experience of placing children in Bangladesh from Tower Hamlets Council initially on a SGO and then on a local Guardianship Order. Covering all aspects from viability to placement, we will explore the challenges practitioners face in a real-world setting and how to navigate them successfully. Although focused on Bangladesh, you will pick up tips on how to navigate overseas cases in general and on cultural considerations in particular. 
Nargis and Halima will be joined by Sandra Latter, Outbound lead and Senior Adviser with the Outbound Permanence team who will set the context and ask questions to further illuminate the process, highlighting good practice in overseas placement. This is a great opportunity for social workers and lawyers alike to hear a step-by-step approach to an overseas case in Bangladesh.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

•    Understanding the process – Gain insight into the key steps of an overseas placement, from viability assessment to final placement.
•    Overcoming challenges – Learn how to navigate legal, practical, and logistical challenges in international placements and hear about cultural considerations. 
•    Best practice insights – Hear real-world experiences and expert advice to build confidence in placing children overseas.

PRESENTERS

Nargis and Halima have experience of dealing with potential placements of children in UK care proceedings with kinship carers overseas in Bangladesh, and Nahreen has also worked in other neighbouring countries. 

Nargis Khatun brings over 30 years of experience across children’s services in the UK and internationally, with specialist expertise in safeguarding, permanence planning, quality assurance, consultancy, and workforce development. She is particularly recognised for her work in international family assessments involving Bangladesh, combining a strong understanding of the legal, cultural, and safeguarding issues that arise in cross-border kinship and family placement cases. 
As an Accredited Family Group Conference and Lifelong Links Practitioner, and an Interpersonal Mediator, she adopts a strengths-based approach that balances risk assessment with recognition of family strengths and protective networks. Fluent in Bangla, Sylheti, and Urdu, she promotes culturally informed practice and effective engagement, always prioritising children’s best interests.

Halima Mostofa brings over 15 years of practice across child protection, long-term social work, FGM safeguarding, quality assurance, coaching, mediation, and practice education. As an Independent Reviewing Officer and Child Protection Chair, she has demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and families. 
Having worked in both the UK and Bangladesh, she brings valuable insight into the influence of culture, family systems, and safeguarding frameworks on assessment and decision-making. Halima is particularly committed to culturally responsive practice and has developed guidance to support effective work with interpreters, helping professionals improve communication, engagement, and safeguarding outcomes for diverse children and families.

Sandra Latter, Outbound lead and Senior Adviser, Outbound Permanence Team 
Sandra re-joined CoramBAAF on a part-time basis in July 2023 having previously worked as a Coram Associate setting up and developing a range of services for 15 years. Most recently, she jointly managed the Advice and Information Service at IAC- the centre for Adoption with lead responsibility for the Outbound Permanence service. 
Sandra now takes the lead on the CoramBAAF Outbound Permanence advice service for local authorities and has been the driving force behind the creation and development of training and resources for local authority staff involved in children moving overseas to live with kinship carers. She sits on the kinship care advisory committee. Sandra is a qualified social worker and has substantial experience in child protection, looked after children and adoption settings in both local authority and VAA's. She has been a freelance social worker and Independent Reviewing Officer for the past 20 years. 

WHO'S IT FOR?

This session is for social workers and legal teams working with children in the UK. It will also be valuable for team managers, and anybody interested in learning more about the practical considerations for overseas placements.

FEES

FREE – Local authority Members Only. This event is exclusively for CoramBAAF local authority members. 
Places on this event are limited, so early booking is recommended.

CONTACT

Telephone: 0207 520 7520 / 0310

Email: events@corambaaf.org.uk

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