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The differences between child protective specialists and case 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 child protective specialist and a case worker. Additionally, a child protective specialist has an average salary of $52,032, which is higher than the $41,459 average annual salary of a case worker.
The top three skills for a child protective specialist include social work, social services and mental health. The most important skills for a case worker are social work, crisis intervention, and patients.
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $52,032 | $41,459 |
| Hourly rate | $25.02 | $19.93 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 75,325 | 107,329 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Caseworkers are social workers who watch over the welfare of underprivileged individuals and at-risk families by counseling and providing them with assistance. Usually employed under the government or a local non-profit organization, a caseworker must conduct a thorough interview and house visits to determine the needs of the family. They then refer them to any programs or agencies that can give them the specific care and help needed. Furthermore, it is crucial to identify neglect and abuse signs, reporting them to the authorities right away.
Child protective specialists and case workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Worker | |
| Average salary | $52,032 | $41,459 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $65,000 | Between $30,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Children's National Medical Center | Appalachian Regional Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Education |
There are a few differences between a child protective specialist and a case worker in terms of educational background:
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between child protective specialists' and case workers' demographics:
| Child Protective Specialist | Case Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8% | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% |
| 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% |