Child welfare specialist vs social worker

The differences between child welfare specialists and social workers 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 welfare specialist, becoming a social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a child welfare specialist has an average salary of $50,377, which is higher than the $50,102 average annual salary of a social worker.

The top three skills for a child welfare specialist include social work, foster care and child safety. The most important skills for a social worker are social work, patients, and patient care.

Child welfare specialist vs social worker overview

	Child Welfare Specialist	Social Worker
Yearly salary	$50,377	$50,102
Hourly rate	$24.22	$24.09
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	76,508	77,340
Job satisfaction	-	4.5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	42	45
Years of experience	4	2

What does a child welfare specialist do?

Child welfare specialists are professionals who are responsible for protecting children and youngsters from harm by visiting their homes and other residential facilities to investigate their living conditions. These specialists are required to determine the suitability of the homes and resources of foster and adoptive parents for child placement. They must serve as child advocates by attending court proceedings to provide inclusive court proceedings. Child welfare specialists must also work closely with local enforcement to ensure the safety of children.

What does a social worker do?

Social workers help their clients get through problems that they may be facing. Social workers help identify individuals or groups of people, usually families, who may need assistance, generally through a set of pre-determined criteria. They then determine the best ways to help their clients by interviewing them, getting to know them, and understanding the context of their lives. They create plans that will help their clients become better, such as integrating into a new environment, assisting them in their needs, or even rescuing them from their current place. Social workers have good interpersonal skills and communication skills.

Child welfare specialist vs social worker salary

Child welfare specialists and social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child Welfare Specialist	Social Worker
Average salary	$50,377	$50,102
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $71,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Cherry Hill, NJ	Portland, OR
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Oregon
Best paying company	University of California	Health Advocates
Best paying industry	Technology	Government

Differences between child welfare specialist and social worker education

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

	Child Welfare Specialist	Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	SUNY at Albany	University of Pennsylvania

Child welfare specialist vs social worker demographics

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

	Child Welfare Specialist	Social Worker
Average age	42	45
Gender ratio	Male, 20.2% Female, 79.8%	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%
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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	10%	13%

Differences between child welfare specialist and social worker duties and responsibilities

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.

Social worker example responsibilities.

Assist clients in achieving treatment goals such as anger, ADHD, grief, social skills, and manners.
Lead and co-le CBT and DBT skills-base groups with participants, as well as relapse prevention, mindfulness and process groups.
Support patient questions and issues regarding Medicare ESRD entitlement and Medicaid and assist in the completion of the appropriate documentation.
Coordinate IPU discharge planning patients to SNF, ALF, PCH or in-home care with necessary support for care.
Facilitate relationships with AKF and other patient assistance programs, VA, Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance providers.
Complete Medicaid and Medicare applications as needed.

Child welfare specialist vs social worker skills

Common child welfare specialist skills

Social Work, 30%
Foster Care, 16%
Child Safety, 4%
Child Welfare, 4%
Court Hearings, 3%
Community Resources, 3%

Common social worker skills

Social Work, 30%
Patients, 15%
Patient Care, 5%
MSW, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Home Health, 4%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Child Welfare Specialist
Child Welfare Specialist vs Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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