Wake County Child Welfare protects children and enhances their well-being by supporting and strengthening families.
Overview of Wake County Child Welfare
Welcome to Wake County Child Welfare. Wake County Child Welfare takes and responds to reports about suspected child abuse and neglect, provides services to families, (in about 2% of the reports) places children temporarily in other homes when no other means are adequate to protect them, and to quickly return children to their families whenever possible.
Annual Reports
Child Welfare remains committed to making systemic changes to improve the experiences of families and staff alike.
Leadership Organizational Chart
The Division includes child protection services, permanency planning (previously called foster care), prevention, placement services, and quality improvement.
Who to Contact
The table below will help you easily find the correct unit and contact information. You can filter the list by clicking on the arrows in the header.
| Description | Contact | Phone | |
| Report suspected abuse or neglect |
Intake | (English) 919-212-7990 (Espanol) 919-212-7963 during regular business hours (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) After regular business hours, weekends and on holidays, call 911 and say you wish to make a CPS report |
NOTICE: Do NOT send child or adult abuse/neglect referrals through email, social media or this website. |
| Adoptions | Adoption Resource Team |
919-212-7478 (Luis #) | adoptwakeyouth@wake.gov |
| Child Protective Services |
Shanta Nowell | shanta.nowell@wake.gov | |
| Donations for youth in foster care |
COST | 919-212-7478 (Luis #) | COST4wake@wake.gov |
| Licensing | Faye Terry | 919-212-7770 | faye.terry@wake.gov |
| LINKS (Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program) – ages 13–17 |
Kimberly Gibson | 919-212-7856 | kimberly.gibson@wake.gov |
| Permanency Planning (Foster Care) | Foster Care | 919-212-7474 | Foster4Wake@wake.gov |
| Placement Services | Jennifer Evans | 919-212-8469 | jennifer.evans@wake.gov |
| Pre-LINKS (for youth ages 9–12) |
Emma James | 919-210-3868 (or text) | Emma.james@wake.gov |
| Prevention | Kelli McNeill-Wilhelm | 919-212-7163 | kelli.mcneillwilhelm@wake.gov |
| Public requests for information and data |
Wake County Communications Department |
NA | https://wakecounty.nextrequest.com/ |
| Quality Improvement / Assurance | CQI | 919-250-1521 | tina.howard@wake.gov |
| Training on Child Welfare |
CQI | 919-250-1521 | tina.howard@wake.gov |
| Training on Preventing Child Abuse / Neglect | Kelli McNeill-Wilhelm | 919-212-7163 | kelli.mcneillwilhelm@wake.gov |
| Transportation for youth in care |
Sarah Thomas | 919-212-7479 | sarah.thomas@wake.gov |
| Wake House | Wake House Visitation Center |
919-856-7019 | cw.visitationservices@wake.gov |
Child Welfare Policies & Protocols
What’s New in Child Welfare
Learn about new and innovative ways Wake County Child Welfare is reaching out to families, supporting parents and children, and preventing abuse and neglect.
How We Work with Our Community
Wake County Child Welfare partners with many agencies in our community. Community partners, including local non-profit and child-serving agencies and the faith community, are critical to the safety and well-being of children. Below is a list of some of our partners:
- Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) – The goal of an MDT is to investigate cases of serious abuse and neglect. Participants in Wake County include Interact, Triangle Family Services, SafeChild Child Advocacy Center, law enforcement, schools, hospitals and Guardian ad Litem office.
- Guardian ad Litem – Serve as the child’s advocate in the court system.
- COST (Community Outreach Sponsorship Team) – Collaborates with community partners to track and distribute donations for child and families involved with Child Welfare; the program won a 2020 NACo Achievement Award. If you are interested in donating, contact the Team at COST4wake@wake.gov.
- Family Resource Center – Non-profit agency that work with families in our community to improve father engagement.
- Triangle Family Services – Local non-profit agency that provides several family-centered services, including batters’ intervention.
- Interact – Local non-profit provides domestic violence and sexual assault support.
- Wrenn House (Haven House) – Homeless and runaway youth program and shelter, located in Raleigh.
- Wake County Public School System – Wake County Child Welfare works with the public schools to transport youth in foster care to their school and receives support from guidance counselors and social workers.
- Carolina Preserves, Cary/Morrisville – An active adult community that provides tutoring and donations for youth in foster care.
- Child Care Centers – There are approximately 40 child care centers who provide needed daycare services for children of families involved with Child Welfare.
- Providers of mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability services – Many providers of these critical services offer support and treatment to children and families involved with Child Welfare. For a list, go to the Provider Directory for Alliance Healthcare.
And many more!
If you are interested in partnering with Wake County Child Welfare, contact Yvette Perry at yvette.perry@wake.gov.
If you are a member of the faith community and interested in partnering with Wake County Child Welfare, contact Nikki Lyons at nikki.lyons@wake.gov.
Resources
Below is a list of resources in our community and state for informational purposes:
- *Wake Network of Care* – online, searchable, updated database of community resources
- Alliance Healthcare – LME/MCO partner for public behavioral health services for individuals with Medicaid or no insurance
- LawHelpNC.org – Helps people with filing for custody in NC
- NC Commission of Indian Affairs – Directory of NC Tribes and organizations
- NC Court System – Criminal Calendar
- NC Data on Child Welfare, Work First, and Food/Nutrition – Wake County
- NC DHHS – State Health & Human Services main page
- NC Offender Search Portal – search for criminal offenders in several databases
- NC SAVAN – Automated notification to victims to learn about offender’s status
- NC Sex Offender Registry – Search for registered sex offenders in NC
- ncswLearn – Online system to register and participate in virtual training for Child Welfare
- SIS Codes and Definitions – System for documenting services and income eligibility for services provided
Schools:
- Wake County Public School System – Link to Wake County’s school system, which is also NC’s largest system
- NC DPI – Charter Schools – Website includes information about charter schools, including a statewide map of schools
- NC – Private Schools – Includes resources and a list of schools