Shanna Ruello
Newark,Delaware
Summary
Highly skilled, frontline social worker for Child Protective Services with 27 years of experience protecting children and providing direct services to promote the safety, well-being and permanency of children and families. A dedicated professional with advanced training and skills in all child welfare matters, with a strong emphasis on the ability to communicate effectively and empathize with disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. Currently seeking to utilize this advanced knowledge and skillset by continuing to serve populations in need.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Family Crisis Therapist
State Of Delaware, Division Of Family Services
1996.11 - Current
- Provides direct, front-line services to at risk children and families while working closely with foster parents, law enforcement, Dept of Justice, Family Court, Child advocacy groups, hospitals, schools, community partners and the general public.
- Gathers information to assess, investigate, and plan interventions regarding child abuse, neglect and dependency on an on-going basis.
- Conducts frequent and meaningful visits, on an announced and unannounced basis, to a family's home, in order to assess environmental factors and well-being for each child involved in a case.
- Completes comprehensive assessments in order to develop a meaningful Family Service Plan that outlines the activities that all parties will undertake in order to resolve the problems that place the child at risk.
- Responsible to make critical decisions regarding whether a child is safe in the home or if there is a need for emergency removal and placement.
- Continuously monitors the child’s ongoing safety and the progress of all parties toward the Family Service Plan goals.
- If determined a child is not safe and the family refuses to sign a safety plan, the caseworker will petition for emergency custody of the child in Family
- Provides services to advocate for health, safety and welfare or rights of clients and their families and assists them in obtaining needed services.
- Interviews clients and family members and/or professionals to gather personal, social and background information; works closely with the client and family to formulate a clear description of the client and family’s problems; identify the key forces which maintain the problems; discover resources and strengths available to the client and family to resolve the problems; and identify the blocks, if any, that prevent the client and family from resolving the problems without the intervention of the State agency.
- Determines eligibility for various social service programs offered by the agency or available in the community.
- In collaboration with the client and family, develops and implements service/treatment plans, outlining the goals and objectives to be accomplished, methods and techniques to be used, and anticipated results; assists the client and family in obtaining community, social and/or therapeutic services and resources needed to accomplish plans and objectives.
- Conducts individual and family counseling sessions with clients and members of the family to aid in achieving satisfactory social development and adjustment to specific problems and situations.
- Assesses progress toward goals and makes recommendations on plans such as reclassification, discharge, aftercare, emergency protective placement in emergency or crisis situations, guardianship, petitions or options counseling.
- Prepares social histories, client progress reports, evaluation and discharge summaries, court reports or petitions; prepares and maintains a variety of records and files pertaining to clients assigned to caseload.
- Enforces court orders and conditions of community supervision as required. Attends court hearings and other judicial proceedings to answer questions, make recommendations and present progress reports regarding clients.
- May be called upon to intervene in crisis situations such as potential suicides, assault and battery against clients, and sexual abuse cases. May coordinate with law enforcement and other emergency staff if needed. May be required to isolate and/or physically restrain clients who are acting out.
- May be required to perform emergency duty which requires being on call for an assigned time period.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Delaware
Newark, DE01.1996
Skills
- Communication
- Empathy
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Crisis intervention
- Case management
- Teamwork
- Multitasking
- Active listening
- Documentation and report writing
- Child Welfare
Timeline
Family Crisis Therapist
State Of Delaware, Division Of Family Services
1996.11 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Delaware
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