Hope and Homes for Children presents ‘Institutionalised Children in Asia: Covid-19 and Beyond’; a series of free webinars focusing on care reform within Asia. Designed for practitioners, policy makers, donors or children and adults affected by institutional care, these webinars will explore how we can make a hugely positive impact in the region for children without, or at risk of being without, parental care.

These free sessions are a timely follow-up to the recent Institutionalised Children Explorations and Beyond (ICEB) international academic journal, which highlighted some of the key elements, challenges and opportunities relating to alternative care for children in Asia.

Webinar 04. Working with Families and Communities to Prevent Family Separation

In this fourth free webinar, we’ll explore the growth of community work to help prevent family separation in two countries who, until now, have relied significantly on institutional care: Cambodia and India. As both countries strive to eliminate long-term institutional care, we’ll be speaking to two experts working closely with local communities and families to protect children, strengthen families and prevent separation. Join us and gain insights on the kind of community work being carried out, hear about the challenges they face, and see the emerging opportunities that can help communities thrive.

For this session we’re excited to welcome guest speakers from two organisations recognised for their innovative and holistic community-based approaches: Se Chhin, Deputy Director of This Life; and Subhadeep Adhikary, ‘Families First’ project manager at Child in Need Institute (CINI).

Guest speaker: Se Chhin

Se joined This Life in October 2008 bringing a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge from his prior role as Assistant Director in a community development organisation. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Education and Language, a Master in Public Administration, and an Executive Master in Development Policies and Practices.

As Deputy Director, Se is responsible for supporting the Executive Director in developing and implementing This Life’s plans, policies and procedures and overseeing the organisation’s programs.

Guest speaker: Subhadeep Adhikary

Subhadeep is a child protection specialist and professional social worker based Jharkhand, India. As graduate of VISVA-BHARATI University, founded by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Subhadeep has over ten years’ experience working on a wide range of child protection projects across India.

He currently works for CINI, project managing their ‘Families First’ project in Jharkhand India. The project is demonstrating care reform in two districts through strengthening government and community systems, to ensure children are cared for and protected within the community. The project is also helping two child care institutions transform their model towards community and family-based care services.

Facilitator: Tessa Boudrie

This session will be facilitated by Tessa Boudrie, Regional Director Asia for Hope and Homes for Children. Tessa is a qualified social worker with a speciality in child protection policies and systems. With over 20 years of experience, with 17 in Asia, Tessa was retained as the lead advisor on a UNICEF Myanmar alternative care project in 2013 and 2014. She has trained local governments and NGOs on case management and social work in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Myanmar. She has also developed case management systems, led social work trainings and facilitated the strengthening of child protection policies, and has managed and implemented several child protection projects in Nepal, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia.

We’d like to thank Allen & Overy for all their support delivering this webinar series. Photo © Amanda Vail