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.