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Children's service worker vs protective service specialist

The differences between children's service workers 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 children's service worker and a protective service specialist. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $35,625 average annual salary of a children's service worker.

The top three skills for a children's service worker include social work, foster care and law enforcement. The most important skills for a protective service specialist are social work, child safety, and foster care.

Children's service worker vs protective service specialist overview

Children's Service WorkerProtective Service Specialist
Yearly salary$35,625$50,293
Hourly rate$17.13$24.18
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs51,50481,211
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

Children's service worker vs protective service specialist salary

Children's service workers and protective service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Children's Service WorkerProtective Service Specialist
Average salary$35,625$50,293
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $49,000Between $32,000 And $76,000
Highest paying CityCoon Rapids, MNBaltimore, MD
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew Jersey
Best paying companyState of West VirginiaParsons
Best paying industryGovernmentGovernment

Differences between children's service worker and protective service specialist education

There are a few differences between a children's service worker and a protective service specialist in terms of educational background:

Children's Service WorkerProtective Service Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common majorSocial WorkSocial Work
Most common collegeBoston UniversitySUNY at Albany

Children's service worker vs protective service specialist demographics

Here are the differences between children's service workers' and protective service specialists' demographics:

Children's Service WorkerProtective Service Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 21.0% Female, 79.0%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 children's service worker and protective service specialist duties and responsibilities

Children's service worker example responsibilities.

  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Task supervisor for MSW graduate students for field placement.
  • Recognize risk factors quickly, collaborate with interdisciplinary team, nurture positive relationships with patients through consistency and modeling healthy boundaries.
  • Authorize medical necessity forms for Medicaid services.
  • Assure federal regulations and all eligibility requirements are follow when placing customers into proper Medicaid program.
  • 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.

Children's service worker vs protective service specialist skills

Common children's service worker skills
  • Social Work, 10%
  • Foster Care, 10%
  • Law Enforcement, 7%
  • Community Resources, 6%
  • Substance Abuse, 6%
  • Protective Services, 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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