Shakerra Jackson
North Brunswick,New Jersey
Summary
Dependable Family Service Specialist with track record of success in field, attention to detail and proactive mindset. Seeks opportunities to improve processes and workflows for team benefit. Conscientious, hardworking and excels at multitasking in fast-paced environments. Highly-motivated with desire to take on new challenges. Strong work ethic, adaptability, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Adept at working effectively unsupervised and quickly mastering new skills.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Family Service Specialist II Permanency/Investigator
Department of Child Protection and Permanency
Edison, NJ
10.2008 - Current
- Conduct risk assessments and investigations for child abuse or neglect cases.
- Provide crisis intervention by responding quickly and effectively in emergency situations; manage high stress environments with professionalism.
- Prepare detailed (court) reports of all findings regarding families involved in child abuse/neglect cases.
- Attend court hearings to represent the agency's interests in protecting the welfare of children (some) involving high profiled media cases.
- Build trust and rapport with children and families by remaining calm and compassionate.
- Team with school staff, medical providers, law enforcement, and community providers to ensure safety and well-being and refer to appropriate services.
- Educate, counsel, and advocate for children and families.
- Establish behavioral modification goals and assess progress.
- Utilize computer systems for data entry, detailed documentation, and tracking casework deadlines.
- Exercise versatility in fast-paced, agile work environments.
- Attend regular staff meetings and trainings to review progress and address any concerns.
- Facilitate family reunification following appropriate safety considerations.
Assistant Family Service Worker II
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Avenel, NJ
09.2007 - 10.2008
- Ensured the safety of children and families during supervised visits.
- Transported families to various appointments and outings.
- Detailed documentation of observations, behaviors, incidents, and concerns during visits and transports.
- Managed time between case assignments and transports.
- Assisted child protection workers with emergency placements, home visits, and collateral requests.
- Hand delivered confidential time sensitive documents to court, law enforcement agencies, and medical facilities.
Administrative Assistant
NJ Advance Media (formerly) The Star-Ledger
Newark, NJ
11.1995 - 09.2007
- Collaborated with Sales/Business/Communications department and provided administrative functions.
- Strong organizational, dictation, and typing skills.
- Composed letters, memos, reports, emails, presentations and other written correspondence as required by management staff.
- Tracked newspaper sales, produced, and distributed reports to related departments using spreadsheets.
- Excellent communication skills; maintained confidentiality and professionalism within each department.
- Greeted visitors in a professional manner, responded to inquiries and directed them to appropriate personnel.
- Managed incoming calls while providing information or transferring callers to appropriate personnel.
- Scheduled appointments, meetings and events for management staff.
Education
Master of Arts - Psychology - Conflict Resolution & Mediation
University of The Rockies
Colorado Springs, CO05-2011
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ05-2008
Skills
- Excellent Communication
- Team Collaboration; Brainstorming
- Trauma Informed
- Root Cause Analysis
- Computer Proficient
- Interpersonal Skills
- Strong advocacy
- Professional Demeanor
- Problem-solving abilities
- Continuous Improvement
Certification
- Family Team Meeting Facilitator
- Cultural Competency Trained
- Behavior Modification Trained through Boys Town (Omaha, NE)
- CBT Life Coach Certification (pending)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Family Service Specialist II Permanency/Investigator
Department of Child Protection and Permanency
10.2008 - Current
Assistant Family Service Worker II
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
09.2007 - 10.2008
Administrative Assistant
NJ Advance Media (formerly) The Star-Ledger
11.1995 - 09.2007
Master of Arts - Psychology - Conflict Resolution & Mediation
University of The Rockies
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Montclair State University
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