Navigating Child Welfare | CPS, Foster Care, Family Court, Adoption, Mandated Reporter, Burnout, Joy, Retention, DEI, Justice

Shanelle Dupree
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  • 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 45: Connecting Before the Crisis: A Better Way to Navigate Child Welfare

    What happens when we bring together the people and organizations involved in foster care and child welfare before there's a crisis?   In this episode, I'm sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my upcoming presentation at the 50th Annual Kansas Governor's Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. I'll be introducing participants to SYNCing Child Welfare, an interactive experience designed to help us better understand the different systems involved in serving families and how we can connect more effectively.   I also talk about something that's becoming increasingly important to me: planning for joy and longevity in the helping professions. We spend so much time thinking about how to help families, but are we creating environments where the people doing this work can thrive, too?   In this episode - Why connecting across the family and child welfare system should happen before problems arise. - The importance of bringing multiple systems and perspectives into the same room. - A preview of the interactive activities in my 360° Workshop. - How authentic conversations can help strengthen collaboration and understanding. - Why planning for joy and longevity deserves more attention in the helping professions. Why this matters The family and child welfare system is made up of people working across different organizations, responsibilities, and communities. Yet too often, we're expecting a handful of professionals to carry an enormous amount of responsibility. I believe there's a better way, and it starts with understanding the bigger picture, creating meaningful connections, and recognizing that supporting our workforce is also part of supporting families. Episode 45 Kansas Governor's Conference- SYNCing Child Welfare.docx   Join me at the Kansas Governor's Conference Tuesday, October 20, 2026 | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM CT SYNCing Child Welfare Interactive Workshop   Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | 10:00–11:30 AM CT Raising Engagement Data Dashboard Presentation   Sign up for the SYNCing Child Welfare newsletter so you can stay connected and receive tools that simplify navigation and reduce confusion in the family and child welfare system. Click HERE.

    Episode 45: Connecting Before the Crisis: A Better Way to Navigate Child Welfare

  2. Sep 17

    Episode 44: You don't have to be a foster parent to help families...

    The foster care system should not be the first or only place families find support. When families have help early, through neighbors, relatives, churches, community organizations, and basic-needs support, some crises can be reduced or avoided altogether. Helping families does not always require a formal title. Sometimes it starts with noticing a need and responding with care. Who in your circle, neighborhood, church, or community may need support before a crisis becomes system involvement? If this episode helped you think differently about the family and child welfare system, stay connected by signing up for the SYNCing Child Welfare Newsletter. You’ll receive tools, insights, and practical support to reduce confusion, isolation, and burnout in foster care. Sign up HERE.

  3. Aug 27

    Episode 43: Mandated Reporters: What Happens after CPS is Called?

    Mandated reporters…you have a power that must be wielded responsibly. A knock on the door from CPS can change everything for a family. Mandated reporters are in a special position where they are required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect. But what happens when training is sporadic, there is no real understanding or grappling of poverty versus neglect, and the policy is “when in doubt report?” Families become unnecessarily involved in a system that was never designed to care for children or families who only needed support. But let me be clear-I am not a proponent of abolishing or ending the family and child welfare system. I’ve represented hundreds of families and there are legitimate situations where the state should be involved, but that’s not all or even most foster care cases. As I think about my time in courtroom, with the agency, and now I see opportunities to change how we work with families.   What about you?    Check out the YouTube video as well: https://youtu.be/JpbX9jE1a9s    #mandatedreporter #cps #fostercare #poverty #neglect   Thank you for watching! My hope is that these conversations make us think deeper about ways to serve families better. 📬 Join the SYNCing Child Welfare Newsletter for practical tools, encouragement, and resources: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/gsyfk6n/syncpodcast

  4. Aug 14

    Episode 42: Heart Resilience: The Forgotten System in Foster Care

    In this episode, I’m talking about heart resilience, a piece of foster care support that often gets overlooked. We talk a lot about compliance, housing, employment, and services, and those things matter. But families need more. This episode invites us to consider what support looks like beyond the checklist. Why “doing it alone” is not a realistic expectation for families How support systems shape reintegration and stability Why paid professionals can’t be the only people families rely on What it means to make heart resilience part of foster care work Foster care can become so focused on tasks that we forget the human need underneath it all. Families need plans, yes, but they also need people. Heart resilience reminds us that connection is not extra. It is part of stability. Who does a family call when they are struggling, proud, scared, or trying again? If this episode helped you think differently about the family and child welfare system, stay connected by signing up for the SYNCing Child Welfare Newsletter. You’ll receive tools, insights, and practical support to reduce confusion, isolation, and burnout in foster care. Sign up HERE.

  5. Jul 29

    Episode 41: The Problem with "Foster to Adopt"

    The phrase “foster to adopt” sounds simple, but in practice, it can create a lot of confusion and heartbreak. In this episode, I talk about why this language can be misleading when the goal of foster care is often reintegration, not adoption. This conversation is not about blaming foster parents, agencies, or families. It is about clarity. When people enter the foster care system with different expectations, everyone feels it: foster parents, biological parents, workers, and most importantly, the child. Why this matters Foster care already carries enough emotion, pressure, and uncertainty. When people are not given clear information upfront, confusion grows, trust breaks down, and relationships that could have become supportive can become strained instead. Reflection question How does your agency explain the difference between foster care, reintegration, and adoption to prospective foster parents? Call to action If this episode helped you think differently about the family and child welfare system, stay connected by signing up for the SYNCing Child Welfare Newsletter. You’ll receive tools, insights, and practical support to reduce confusion, isolation, and burnout in foster care. Sign up HERE. ******* 8 Videos in 8 Weeks YouTube series   Check out the 1st video in a limited series on rethinking the family and child welfare system HERE.

  6. Jul 24

    Episode 40: I tried to break up with DEI

    In this episode, I reflect on my long, complicated relationship with DEI: the promise, the disappointment, the fatigue, and the deeper purpose underneath it all. What began as formal diversity work inside an institution eventually became something much more personal: a way of understanding justice, dignity, opportunity, and the barriers families face inside systems. I share how early DEI work taught me that organizations often reveal their true commitment through resources, access, and influence. I also explore what happens when the language of DEI becomes politically charged, when people quietly distance themselves from the work, and when the principles still matter even if the labels change. At its core, this episode is not just about DEI as a department, title, or acronym. It is about whether we still believe in fairness, equal protection, belonging, and the possibility of becoming a better nation. Next steps:  To continue learning and move beyond surface-level conversations, engage with Skin DEEP: The History of Child Welfare by Race, an online course and workshop designed to help professionals, organizations, and community partners understand how race has shaped the family and child welfare system. Visit www.skindeepcw.com or email info@skindeepcw.com to learn more.

  7. Jul 6

    Episode 39: Supporting Helpers in Child Welfare: Simple Joy...Big Impact

    In this episode, I’m talking with Lauren Welch, founder of Social Empowerment Texas, about what it means to support the people doing some of the hardest work in the child welfare and foster care system. Lauren is a foster and adoptive mom, and through both personal and professional experience, she saw a gap in support for CPS employees, case managers, investigators, supervisors, and support staff. So instead of only talking about what is wrong, she started building something to help. We talk about how supporting workers also supports families. When the workforce is overwhelmed, unsupported, and constantly turning over, foster parents feel it, parents feel it, and children feel it. Lauren shares how Social Empowerment Texas is creating small but meaningful moments of support, from appreciation pop-ups and car kits to refreshed visitation rooms and one-on-one encouragement through their Social Stars program.   Social Empowerment Texas information: Was born out of a place of care for the system and those that are affected by it - and the enormous trickle effect that caring, encouraging and empowering social workers provides.  www.socialempowertx.org lauren@socialempowertx.org  https://www.facebook.com/SocialEmpowerTX   #ChildWelfare #FosterCare #ChildWelfareSystem #FamilyAndChildWelfareSystem #CPS #SocialServices #Burnout #Retention #WorkforceSupport #SimpleJoy

    Episode 39: Supporting Helpers in Child Welfare: Simple Joy...Big Impact

  8. Jun 17

    Episode 38: Before you quit social services...listen to this

    Before you quit, I want you to pause for a minute. In this episode, I’m talking to the people in social services, foster care, and the family and child welfare system who are tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, or wondering if their work is making a difference. I’ve been there. I’ve carried 100-plus families, I’ve felt the weight of burnout, and I know what it feels like to love the work while also wondering if you can keep doing it.   If this episode speaks to where you are right now, sign up for the SYNCing Child Welfare newsletter so you can stay connected and receive tools that simplify navigation and reduce confusion in the family and child welfare system. Click HERE.   #burnout #isolation #connection #fostercare #childwelfare #socialservices #mandatedreporter #supervisor #director #leadership #manager

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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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