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Case worker vs family service worker

The differences between case workers and family service workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a case worker and a family service worker. Additionally, a case worker has an average salary of $41,459, which is higher than the $37,674 average annual salary of a family service worker.

The top three skills for a case worker include social work, crisis intervention and patients. The most important skills for a family service worker are social work, foster care, and child abuse.

Case worker vs family service worker overview

Case WorkerFamily Service Worker
Yearly salary$41,459$37,674
Hourly rate$19.93$18.11
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs107,329111,599
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a case worker do?

Caseworkers are social workers who watch over the welfare of underprivileged individuals and at-risk families by counseling and providing them with assistance. Usually employed under the government or a local non-profit organization, a caseworker must conduct a thorough interview and house visits to determine the needs of the family. They then refer them to any programs or agencies that can give them the specific care and help needed. Furthermore, it is crucial to identify neglect and abuse signs, reporting them to the authorities right away.

What does a family service worker do?

A family service worker is in charge of providing support services to families in a community, referring them to other agencies or programs as needed. They serve as the primary point of contact of family members, ensuring they maintain an active line of communication. Their responsibilities typically revolve around enrolling family members into social services programs, gathering and verifying information, maintaining databases, and assisting in all procedures, all while updating families for any progress. Furthermore, a family service worker needs to coordinate with other social workers to provide the most effective service.

Case worker vs family service worker salary

Case workers and family service workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Case WorkerFamily Service Worker
Average salary$41,459$37,674
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $55,000Between $28,000 And $49,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYChicago, IL
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew Jersey
Best paying companyAppalachian Regional HealthcareWashington County
Best paying industryEducationGovernment

Differences between case worker and family service worker education

There are a few differences between a case worker and a family service worker in terms of educational background:

Case WorkerFamily Service Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorPsychologySocial Work
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaHunter College of the City University of New York

Case worker vs family service worker demographics

Here are the differences between case workers' and family service workers' demographics:

Case WorkerFamily Service Worker
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 26.8% Female, 73.2%Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between case worker and family service worker duties and responsibilities

Case worker example responsibilities.

  • Establish collaborative relationships with patients within a supportive atmosphere to assist in confronting drug relate behavior and achieving sobriety.
  • Review and research leads regarding personal injury cases by obtaining information from the Medicaid recipient's attorney and insurance adjuster
  • File, close and maintain records in either physical case file or on ETO.
  • Train new employees and assign tasks in driving and all responsibilities in DCS documentations.
  • Provide weekly face to face updates to youth and telephonic updates to family members/sponsor with documentation find in ETO.
  • Facilitate DCS court order supervised visitation during the reunification process.
  • Show more

Family service worker example responsibilities.

  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Practice motivational interviewing techniques to assist individuals in identifying personal hurdles in order to set goals and work towards rehabilitation.
  • Establish and maintain relationships with stakeholder (DSS staff, schools and community partners).
  • Integrate the individual support plan (ISP) objective into the individuals' daily schedule.
  • Provide courtesy interviews or conflict investigations for other county DSS.
  • Determine participants' eligibility for program by gathering data and maintaining information to ensure clients are compliant for TANF program regulations.

Case worker vs family service worker skills

Common case worker skills
  • Social Work, 20%
  • Crisis Intervention, 8%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Substance Abuse, 6%
  • Community Resources, 6%
  • Child Abuse, 5%
Common family service worker skills
  • Social Work, 18%
  • Foster Care, 10%
  • Child Abuse, 9%
  • Protective Services, 5%
  • Mental Health, 5%
  • Court Reports, 4%

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