Child abuse worker vs child welfare specialist

The differences between child abuse workers and child welfare specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child abuse worker and a child welfare specialist. Additionally, a child welfare specialist has an average salary of $50,377, which is higher than the $45,627 average annual salary of a child abuse worker.

The top three skills for a child abuse worker include social services, law enforcement and emergency situations. The most important skills for a child welfare specialist are social work, foster care, and child safety.

Child abuse worker vs child welfare specialist overview

	Child Abuse Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Yearly salary	$45,627	$50,377
Hourly rate	$21.94	$24.22
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	33,527	76,508
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Child abuse worker vs child welfare specialist salary

Child abuse workers and child welfare specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child Abuse Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Average salary	$45,627	$50,377
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $54,000	Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	-	Cherry Hill, NJ
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	University of California
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between child abuse worker and child welfare specialist education

There are a few differences between a child abuse worker and a child welfare specialist in terms of educational background:

	Child Abuse Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY at Albany

Child abuse worker vs child welfare specialist demographics

Here are the differences between child abuse workers' and child welfare specialists' demographics:

	Child Abuse Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 29.8% Female, 70.2%	Male, 20.2% Female, 79.8%
Race ratio	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%	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 Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between child abuse worker and child welfare specialist duties and responsibilities

Child abuse worker example responsibilities.

Lead presentation and training sessions to community and inter-agency groups.
Coordinate admissions of active duty service members and veterans to the inpatient rehabilitation/medical unit after suffering a new spinal cord injury.
Perform related adoptions and supervisory visits for state adoptions.

Child welfare specialist example responsibilities.

Manage TANF program, in turn this help clients develop skills to enter the workforce.
Provide comprehensive case management to DCFS clients and their families to achieve case goals as outlined in the client service plan.
Manage a caseload TANF clients, assess clients eligibility to receive benefits, assist with placement of clients in various programs.
Complete behavior, mood and communication sections assign to social services on the MDS.
Advocate for the rights of incapacitate adults who are the alleged victims in APS referrals.
Assist clients in resolving conflicts with DHS workers or service providers while maintaining professionalism in an emotionally charge climate.

Child abuse worker vs child welfare specialist skills

Common child abuse worker skills

Social Services, 35%
Law Enforcement, 32%
Emergency Situations, 9%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Child Sexual Abuse, 6%
Mental Health, 6%

Common child welfare specialist skills

Social Work, 30%
Foster Care, 16%
Child Safety, 4%
Child Welfare, 4%
Court Hearings, 3%
Community Resources, 3%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Child Abuse Worker
Child Abuse Worker vs Child Welfare Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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