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Casework specialist vs family service worker

The differences between casework specialists 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 casework specialist and a family service worker. Additionally, a casework specialist has an average salary of $40,044, which is higher than the $37,674 average annual salary of a family service worker.

The top three skills for a casework specialist include social work, vulnerable adults and social services. The most important skills for a family service worker are social work, foster care, and child abuse.

Casework specialist vs family service worker overview

Casework SpecialistFamily Service Worker
Yearly salary$40,044$37,674
Hourly rate$19.25$18.11
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs33,160111,599
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a casework specialist do?

A Casework Specialist advises the public about how to maintain the well-being of their children and family life. They work for schools, social services agencies, healthcare facilities, or government departments.

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.

Casework specialist vs family service worker salary

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

Casework SpecialistFamily Service Worker
Average salary$40,044$37,674
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $53,000Between $28,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City-Chicago, IL
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-Washington County
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between casework specialist and family service worker education

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

Casework SpecialistFamily Service Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorSocial WorkSocial Work
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaHunter College of the City University of New York

Casework specialist vs family service worker demographics

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

Casework SpecialistFamily Service Worker
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 23.4% Female, 76.6%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 casework specialist and family service worker duties and responsibilities

Casework specialist example responsibilities.

  • Provide comprehensive case management to DCFS clients and their families to achieve case goals as outlined in the client service plan.
  • Review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for state and federal aid programs, including Medicaid, food stamps and emergency assistance.
  • Participate in transition educational meetings IEP.

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.

Casework specialist vs family service worker skills

Common casework specialist skills
  • Social Work, 47%
  • Vulnerable Adults, 16%
  • Social Services, 15%
  • Protective Services, 11%
  • Child Abuse, 2%
  • Mental Health, 1%
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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