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The differences between child protective specialists and case planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a child protective specialist, becoming a case planner takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a child protective specialist has an average salary of $52,032, which is higher than the $43,496 average annual salary of a case planner.
The top three skills for a child protective specialist include social work, social services and mental health. The most important skills for a case planner are social work, foster care, and NYC.
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $52,032 | $43,496 |
| Hourly rate | $25.02 | $20.91 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 75,325 | 36,065 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A Child Protective Specialist is a social worker who handles suspected cases of abuse and neglect in children. They focus on performing research and investigation, conducting home visits and inspections, interviewing families and potential witnesses, gathering evidence, and reaching out to hospitals or schools to collect and analyze data. Through the findings of their investigation, a Child Protective Specialist draws conclusions and develops recommendations for the children's safety and welfare. Moreover, there are instances where they conduct interventions, refer families to other agencies, or coordinate with law enforcement.
Case planners are social workers who provide assistance to children and their families to improve their social and psychological functioning as well as maximize the well-being of families. These planners are required to design service plans that address the safety, behavioral, education, and permanency needs of families and adolescents. They must identify potential child abuse and report any suspected abuses to the appropriate authorities. Case planners must also facilitate counseling to domestic violence victims and assist families in obtaining protection orders from victim service nonprofit organizations.
Child protective specialists and case planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Planner | |
| Average salary | $52,032 | $43,496 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $65,000 | Between $33,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Islandia, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Children's National Medical Center | The New York Foundling |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a child protective specialist and a case planner in terms of educational background:
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child protective specialists' and case planners' demographics:
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Planner | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8% | Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8% |
| 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, 12.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.9% Asian, 6.1% White, 48.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |