Navigating Child Welfare | CPS, Foster Care, Family Court, Adoption, Mandated Reporter

Shanelle Dupree
  • 5.0 (4)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Are you struggling to keep good child welfare staff and volunteers? Are they drowning in alphabet soup, unclear timelines, fuzzy roles, and “who does what” confusion? Does attending court hearings cause anxiety in staff and families? You are not by yourself. When people talk about the foster care system they often describe it as broken, confusing, and frustrating. It’s why I’m so excited to introduce a podcast that will help staff and volunteers see the big picture of child welfare, lessen anxiety, and provide tips on how to connect with partners in the child welfare system. I’m Shanelle Dupree and I’ve been working in the child welfare system for 20 years as an attorney, a social service administrator, a non-profit leader, and now as a consultant. I have experienced first hand that knowing how to do your job is not enough to be successful in serving families. We need to connect better and see the big picture. When I was representing families in court, I finally realized that to have families reach their goal, it requires connection and collaboration with the others involved in the child welfare ecosystem. I’ve created a 360º view of the child welfare system that will eliminate confusion, build relationships, and develop trust with families.  If this sounds like the natural but missing piece in your work with vulnerable families- this podcast is for you. So hug your loved ones a little bit tighter, and let's connect.

  1. 2D AGO

    Episode 28: Reduce Frustration in Foster Care: Trust, Roles, and Real Partnership

    Reducing frustration in foster care starts with the stuff we don’t always name: trust, roles, and real partnership across the family and child welfare system.   In this episode, I share a story from a major project where we were stuck waiting on pieces outside our control. The shift was simple: I prepared everything I could control so we were ready the moment the missing pieces landed. That same mindset applies to foster care. There are so many moving parts, and sometimes you don’t even know what’s missing until the work slows down.   I’m talking about how to prepare for partnership using the 360º workshop so you have more clarity, balance, and trust internally and with external partners.   Action Items - Take the 360º Assessment - it takes about 5 minutes to complete and it can be found at https://syncingchildwelfare.com/360o-assessment/. - Email info@syncingchildwelfare.com to schedule a time to discuss a 360º workshop for your team today. - Join the Newsletter to stay updated on the SYNCing Child Welfare Program: HERE

    7 min

  2. FEB 16

    Episode 27: Racial Trauma and the Family and Child Welfare System, From History to Healing

    Beauty and harm can coexist in our history, and healing starts with honest reflection and shared action. This episode focuses centers on healing from racial trauma and why honest history is essential to repair. She traces how race has shaped American law and memory, then connects that history to daily practice in the family and child welfare system. From the Declaration and Constitution to the Civil Rights Amendments, from birthright citizenship to repatriation and guest worker policies, and from post-emancipation child taking to the work of the Freedmen’s Bureau, Shanelle names patterns of othering and invites listeners to build systems that protect dignity and equity. You are invited to check out Skin Deep, the History of Child Welfare by Race, and Going Deep Together for organizations that want structured conversations that lead to change at www.skindeepcw.com.

    13 min

  3. FEB 4

    Episode 26: From Fake Help to Real Support in Foster Care and the Family & Child Welfare

    Sometimes our help looks good on paper but doesn’t help in practice. In this episode, Shanelle names “fake help,” shows how to co-create real solutions with the people affected, and explains where 360° Family and Child Welfare Workshops solves a specific problem by strengthening partnerships and prepares a community for service in the family and child welfare system. You will learn: What “fake help” is and how to stop creating extra work for families and staff. Three common blockers: fixing problems without the people affected, over-engineering solutions, and over-automating connection. The 360º Workshop unlocks progress within family and child welfare agencies to solve a concrete cross-agency issue, rebuild working relationships, or to prepare partners for new responsibilities or projects.   Take the SYNCing Child Welfare 360º Assessment today to partner effectively: www.syncingchildwelfare.com & follow up with a workshop for your organization!

    9 min
  4. Episode 25: Unpopular opinion! Agencies should not lead parent or foster parent support groups

    JAN 28

    Episode 25: Unpopular opinion! Agencies should not lead parent or foster parent support groups

    Shanelle and guest Steve Gonyea wrap up their conversation by digging into why many agency-run “support groups” have good intentions, but miss the mark, especially when supervisors or case managers are in the room. Caregivers, parents, and youth will not share real concerns when the people who evaluate them are listening, so the space is not actually supportive. The conversation covers what new and veteran caregivers really need, which are: timely answers, plain language guidance, and safe places to learn how to navigate court, school, medication questions, and after-hours crises.   Shanelle also shares monthly webinar plans, the idea of training after the train wreck, and invites listeners to the 360º Assessment for partners in the family and child welfare system.   Key takeaways   Support groups must be peer-led or community-hosted with psychological safety, otherwise honest feedback will not surface.   Practical help beats platitudes, even a fast “no” is better than silence when a caregiver is in crisis.   Make court understandable and accessible for youth and caregivers, name what to wear, how to address the judge, and how to share information.   Partner across the ecosystem, families need timely answers, workers need realistic roles, volunteers need clear rules.   Take the SYNCing Child Welfare 360º Assessment today to partner effectively: www.syncingchildwelfare.com!   Steve Gonyea, Co Host, Finding Common Ground Podcast website: https://www.fcgadvocacy.org/about-steve-gonyea  Sensor Barn solution: A vibrant, calming haven for kids and adults with sensory needs (Spectrum News). Email: steve_gonyea@yahoo.com

    13 min
  5. Episode 24: Barriers to Solutions: Advocacy, Autism, & Foster Care

    JAN 21

    Episode 24: Barriers to Solutions: Advocacy, Autism, & Foster Care

    Shanelle sits down with advocate and long-time therapeutic foster parent Steve Goneya to talk about what is not working and what communities can build right now. Steve has welcomed 178 children through respite and high-needs care, fought for supports for high health needs children, and learned the hard truth about bureaucracy, turnover, and waitlists. Instead of waiting, he built solutions: an Autism Barn that became a community hub and an Ability Bus model that partners with veterans to get youth and adults with disabilities to appointments and life-giving activities when agencies do not run nights or weekends. This is part one of the conversation. Links to Steve’s projects and Shanelle’s 360º Assessment are in the show notes. You will hear How years in family care and therapeutic foster care shaped Steve’s approach to high-needs placements Why adoption decisions must consider lifelong supports and eligibility, and how delays and paperwork keep youth waiting. Community solutions that work now: a private Autism Barn that became a regional resource and an Ability Bus run with veterans that agencies could not replicate due to after-hours gaps. Why Steve is organizing storytellers and aged-out youth, meeting legislators, and developing a national transportation initiative with a film partner to seed similar models in other states. Key takeaways Build the environment you wish existed. Small, concrete projects can scale when partners see them working. Accountability and support are both true. Families need timely decisions and workers need realistic caseloads and clear roles. Community partners can move faster than bureaucracy. Veterans, faith groups, and local donors can fill critical gaps. Steve Gonyea, Co‑Host, Finding Common Ground Podcast website: https://www.fcgadvocacy.org/about-steve-gonyea Sensor Barn solution: A vibrant, calming haven for kids and adults with sensory needs (Spectrum News). Email: steve_gonyea@yahoo.com Take the 360º Assessment today to partner effectively: www.syncingchildwelfare.com

    30 min

  6. JAN 14

    Episode 23: START HERE... 360 Assessment to Reduce Confusion in the Family and Child Welfare System

    What does partnership and collaboration look like in your organization? Often times we focus solely on our role and job- but in the family and child welfare system all the systems matter.   The 360º Assessment is HERE! Take it today to understand…   -Recognize where you fit on the 360º family and child welfare map -Determine how you work with other partners -Gauge how supported or overwhelmed you feel -Access your organization’s readiness to partner and build trust with families   Listeners learn why beginning at the beginning matters, how influence extends beyond agencies that work on cases 90 percent of the time, and how better partnership reduces harm and restores continuity for families.   Who this helps Caseworkers, supervisors, attorneys, CASA and GAL, foster and kin caregivers, school and healthcare partners, faith and community leaders, mandated reporters, and anyone who influences decisions in the family and child welfare system.   Action Items - Take the 360º Assessment - it takes about 5 minutes to complete and it can be found at https://syncingchildwelfare.com/360o-assessment/. - Join the Newsletter to stay updated on the SYNCing Child Welfare Program: HERE

    9 min

  7. 12/31/2025

    Episode 22: Reclaim Time and Peace of Mind in Case Management

    Episode summary A caseworker’s anonymous post about hard relationships with foster parents sparks a real conversation about communication, role clarity, and burnout. Shanelle explains why case workers (& no one!) cannot hold everything at once, how conflicting goals show up, and what it takes to align teams so families move forward. She also introduces the SYNCing Child Welfare approach, including a free 360 assessment, a 360 workshop that maps ten connected systems, and monthly 360 webinars, all designed to help staff, caregivers, and volunteers reclaim time and peace of mind in the family and child welfare system. You will learn: Why delayed responses and unclear roles strain foster parent relationships, and how to reset expectations early. How to plan for partnership and also plan for pushback, since disagreement is guaranteed. Ways to keep the team aligned when the goal is reunification, including how to surface real safety concerns without drowning in noise. What the 360 assessment, 360 workshop, and 360 webinars cover, and how they support retention, partnership, and trust with families.   Program invite You are personally invited to join an online session to learn more. Shanelle is hosting two online SYNCing Child Welfare preview sessions in early 2026: Wednesday, January 7 (9:00–9:45 a.m. CT) REGISTER HERE or Thursday, January 8 (4:00–4:45 p.m. CT) REGISTER HERE. Stay updated on the latest SYNCING Child Welfare updates by joining the newsletter HERE.

    14 min

  8. 12/24/2025

    Episode 21: BIG Things in Foster Care for 2026: Partnerships in the Family and Child Welfare System

    Families need information fast, in plain language, and backed by real partnerships. In this episode of Navigating Child Welfare Shanelle shares what is coming in 2026 and how SYNCing Child Welfare will help parents, foster and kinship caregivers, and partners move through the family and child welfare system with less confusion and more confidence. She discusses prevention services that keep families out of foster care, parent education that clarifies court and case plans, and cross-system collaboration that makes case management sustainable. She also discusses the upcoming 360º workshop for workers and volunteers and the 360º webinar series for parents and partners. Highlights and takeaways Information creates transformation, then families can take the next step toward reunification or another stable plan Programs built in isolation stall, partnerships move cases forward Plan for conflict in collaborations and use shared values plus clear responsibilities to stay aligned Equity is daily work and should be baked into decisions, timelines, and access 🎧 Listen now 🗓️ Join a SYNC info session in January 2026. You are personally invited to join an online session to learn more. Shanelle is hosting two online SYNCing Child Welfare preview sessions in early 2026: Wednesday, January 7 (9:00–9:45 a.m. CT) REGISTER HERE or Thursday, January 8 (4:00–4:45 p.m. CT) REGISTER HERE. Stay updated on the latest SYNCING Child Welfare updates by joining the newsletter HERE.

    23 min
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About

Are you struggling to keep good child welfare staff and volunteers? Are they drowning in alphabet soup, unclear timelines, fuzzy roles, and “who does what” confusion? Does attending court hearings cause anxiety in staff and families? You are not by yourself. When people talk about the foster care system they often describe it as broken, confusing, and frustrating. It’s why I’m so excited to introduce a podcast that will help staff and volunteers see the big picture of child welfare, lessen anxiety, and provide tips on how to connect with partners in the child welfare system. I’m Shanelle Dupree and I’ve been working in the child welfare system for 20 years as an attorney, a social service administrator, a non-profit leader, and now as a consultant. I have experienced first hand that knowing how to do your job is not enough to be successful in serving families. We need to connect better and see the big picture. When I was representing families in court, I finally realized that to have families reach their goal, it requires connection and collaboration with the others involved in the child welfare ecosystem. I’ve created a 360º view of the child welfare system that will eliminate confusion, build relationships, and develop trust with families.  If this sounds like the natural but missing piece in your work with vulnerable families- this podcast is for you. So hug your loved ones a little bit tighter, and let's connect.

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