Information for Community Partners and Professionals

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. 

Leadership Organizational Chart

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 Email
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

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. 

Find out what's new in Child Welfare

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:


Schools: