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Child welfare consultant vs protective service specialist

The differences between child welfare consultants and protective service 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 welfare consultant and a protective service specialist. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $47,497 average annual salary of a child welfare consultant.

The top three skills for a child welfare consultant include technical assistance, foster care and child welfare system. The most important skills for a protective service specialist are social work, child safety, and foster care.

Child welfare consultant vs protective service specialist overview

Child Welfare ConsultantProtective Service Specialist
Yearly salary$47,497$50,293
Hourly rate$22.84$24.18
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs16,72181,211
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

Child welfare consultant vs protective service specialist salary

Child welfare consultants and protective service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Child Welfare ConsultantProtective Service Specialist
Average salary$47,497$50,293
Salary rangeBetween $38,000 And $58,000Between $32,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City-Baltimore, MD
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-Parsons
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between child welfare consultant and protective service specialist education

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

Child Welfare ConsultantProtective Service Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common majorPsychologySocial Work
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaSUNY at Albany

Child welfare consultant vs protective service specialist demographics

Here are the differences between child welfare consultants' and protective service specialists' demographics:

Child Welfare ConsultantProtective Service Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 20.0% Female, 80.0%Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage10%10%

Differences between child welfare consultant and protective service specialist duties and responsibilities

Child welfare consultant example responsibilities.

  • Investigate child abuse/neglect allegations and complaints refer from the state central registry.
  • Coordinate and scheduledbiweekly meetings to discuss the development of the CQI manual.
  • Perform related adoptions and supervisory visits for state adoptions.

Protective service specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage a caseload TANF clients, assess clients eligibility to receive benefits, assist with placement of clients in various programs.
  • Review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for state and federal aid programs, including Medicaid, food stamps and emergency assistance.
  • Perform related adoptions and supervisory visits for state adoptions.

Child welfare consultant vs protective service specialist skills

Common child welfare consultant skills
  • Technical Assistance, 32%
  • Foster Care, 29%
  • Child Welfare System, 15%
  • Child Safety, 10%
  • Community Stakeholders, 9%
  • Improvement Plan, 6%
Common protective service specialist skills
  • Social Work, 16%
  • Child Safety, 7%
  • Foster Care, 6%
  • Social Services, 6%
  • APS, 5%
  • Community Resources, 4%

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