Child advocate vs child welfare specialist

The differences between child advocates 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 advocate and a child welfare specialist. Additionally, a child welfare specialist has an average salary of $50,377, which is higher than the $37,885 average annual salary of a child advocate.

The top three skills for a child advocate include social work, safety planning and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a child welfare specialist are social work, foster care, and child safety.

Child advocate vs child welfare specialist overview

	Child Advocate	Child Welfare Specialist
Yearly salary	$37,885	$50,377
Hourly rate	$18.21	$24.22
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	88,678	76,508
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Child advocate vs child welfare specialist salary

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

	Child Advocate	Child Welfare Specialist
Average salary	$37,885	$50,377
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $46,000	Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Pasadena, TX	Cherry Hill, NJ
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Suncoast Center	University of California
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Technology

Differences between child advocate and child welfare specialist education

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

	Child Advocate	Child Welfare Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	Hunter College of the City University of New York	SUNY at Albany

Child advocate vs child welfare specialist demographics

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

	Child Advocate	Child Welfare Specialist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%	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 advocate and child welfare specialist duties and responsibilities

Child advocate example responsibilities.

Offer immediate practical assistance to the family in obtaining Medicaid coverage, financial assistance or help with housing.
Assist patients in securing medical coverage by screening refer patients and coordinating the application process through successful approval.
Complete risk assessments and develop comprehensive intervention plans to address safety, communication, and problem solving abilities.

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 advocate vs child welfare specialist skills

Common child advocate skills

Social Work, 16%
Safety Planning, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Mental Health, 7%
Child Abuse, 5%
Child Advocacy, 5%

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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Child Advocate
Child Advocate vs Child Welfare Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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