Child protective investigator vs child care counselor

The differences between child protective investigators and child care counselors 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 protective investigator and a child care counselor. Additionally, a child protective investigator has an average salary of $47,903, which is higher than the $36,843 average annual salary of a child care counselor.

The top three skills for a child protective investigator include patrol, social work and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a child care counselor are CPR, child care, and behavioral issues.

Child protective investigator vs child care counselor overview

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Care Counselor
Yearly salary	$47,903	$36,843
Hourly rate	$23.03	$17.71
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	15,938	100,538
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a child protective investigator do?

A child protective investigator is responsible for investigating incident reports for child-violating cases, collecting court evidence of child abuse, and keeping the child under safe custody for protection. Child protective investigators conduct field investigations by locating the area of concern, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing similar cases of violence. They coordinate with medical professionals to check the child's condition and record any signs of trauma and injuries. A child protective investigator may also attend court procedures to represent the child and testify to press charges with the abuser.

What does a child care counselor do?

Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days. They use their critical thinking skills, organizational skills, and interpersonal skills to deal with children diagnosed with psychological issues and to coordinate with their patients' families. Most of the cases they handle are the abuse, bullying, and past traumas of children.

Child protective investigator vs child care counselor salary

Child protective investigators and child care counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Care Counselor
Average salary	$47,903	$36,843
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $61,000	Between $28,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Camden, NJ	Chicago, IL
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Saks Fifth Avenue	Washington State University
Best paying industry	Government	Finance

Differences between child protective investigator and child care counselor education

There are a few differences between a child protective investigator and a child care counselor in terms of educational background:

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Care Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	SUNY at Albany	SUNY at Albany

Child protective investigator vs child care counselor demographics

Here are the differences between child protective investigators' and child care counselors' demographics:

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Care Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6%	Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6%
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 protective investigator and child care counselor duties and responsibilities

Child protective investigator example responsibilities.

Utilize locating systems, negotiate agreements, file motions and prepare subpoenas.
Review and approve time sheets, mileage reports for CPI assign to the unit.
Complete timely findings including determining if someone should be place on the child abuse registry.
Investigate reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation that are report to the state abuse hotline.
Respond to Hotline reports, conduct child safety assessments, and determine immediate risk to child.
Review child safety assessments as submitted by CPI, and provide direction and guidance in the investigation.

Child care counselor example responsibilities.

Train in managing risk and restraining only when need, CPR, and first aid.
Remain non-denominational, open, flexible and ecumenical in service to patients while also providing additional resources from local spiritual communities.
Organize and lead regular youth and college bible studies, teaching about prayer and promoting spirituality.

Child protective investigator vs child care counselor skills

Common child protective investigator skills

Patrol, 35%
Social Work, 16%
Local Law Enforcement, 7%
CCTV, 4%
Child Protective, 4%
Family Dynamics, 3%

Common child care counselor skills

CPR, 21%
Child Care, 20%
Behavioral Issues, 11%
Crisis Intervention Techniques, 8%
Direct Supervision, 6%
Mental Health, 5%

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Child Protective Investigator
Child Protective Investigator vs Child Care Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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