Influential Woman · Social Work

Cynthia Jackson

Child Abuse Investigator, County of Santa Clara

San Jose, CA

3Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's degree in Psychology with minor in Sociology Degree Emphasis in Criminal Justice (2022) Degree Master's degree in Social Work (2023) Degree Cal State East Bay Cert ASW (Associate Social Worker) Member Phi Alpha Honor Society

Her Story

About Cynthia

I've been in social work for about 23 years now. I received my bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in sociology and an emphasis in criminal justice in 2022, then took a year gap before pursuing my master's in social work in 2023. During my graduate program, I completed internships in foster care youth and mental health, which are fields I'm really passionate about. Currently, I work for the County of Santa Clara in emergency response for the Department of Family and Children's Services, where I respond to calls of alleged child abuse and neglect. Most of my referrals focus on child neglect cases, working with children from newborns all the way up to older youth. My work involves ensuring children have properly fitting clothes, adequate food in the home, and access to that food. What I've found is that many families aren't necessarily neglecting their children intentionally, they simply don't have access to resources or don't know what's available to them. A huge part of my role is connecting parents with the resources that Santa Clara County has to offer, which really changes the way they parent and helps them provide for their children. I currently hold my ASW (Associate Social Worker) credential, which allows me to accumulate clinical hours toward becoming a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). My goal is to become a therapist doing CBT and DBT work and eventually move away from the child welfare system, though this work has been incredibly meaningful even though I never imagined I'd be in child welfare when I was in school.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Cynthia

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would say my parents instilled a really strong work ethic in me. Both of my parents worked and held 9-to-5 jobs, and they rarely called out. They always taught me to show up early to work and made sure that I wouldn't miss a shift. If I had to miss a shift because I was feeling sick or something, then of course that's understandable, but having that work ethic drilled into me early really helped me be able to show up every day. That foundation they gave me has been crucial to where I am in my career today.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say follow your dreams, even if it's not where you want to be. For example, I never thought I would work in child welfare. It was something that never crossed my mind when I was in school. Even when I was in my social work program learning about the child welfare system, I was like, this is not a job I'm going to be doing, but look where I am now, working for child welfare. Have a dream, but also be open to other opportunities. Sometimes things may fall unexpectedly, and you never know where they might lead you.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

My biggest value, I would say, is compassion, especially for work. A lot of the families I work with don't have access to resources, or they didn't know about them. They thought they should just struggle because they didn't know what was provided to them. So listening to them and providing them with empathy, and then letting them know these are resources that you are able to use because you're a Santa Clara County resident, has really changed the way they parent and the way that they realize, oh, I can get food for my child now, oh, there are these places where I could get clothes for my kids, so it's not always hand-me-downs. Being able to connect families with resources and show them compassion during difficult times is what drives my work.

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