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Detention worker vs family support specialist

The differences between detention workers and family support 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 detention worker and a family support specialist. Additionally, a family support specialist has an average salary of $37,343, which is higher than the $35,072 average annual salary of a detention worker.

The top three skills for a detention worker include crisis intervention, perform intake and incident reports. The most important skills for a family support specialist are social work, child abuse, and patients.

Detention worker vs family support specialist overview

Detention WorkerFamily Support Specialist
Yearly salary$35,072$37,343
Hourly rate$16.86$17.95
Growth rate10%9%
Number of jobs21,863143,739
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

Detention worker vs family support specialist salary

Detention workers and family support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Detention WorkerFamily Support Specialist
Average salary$35,072$37,343
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $55,000Between $24,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City-Trenton, NJ
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-Catholic Health East
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between detention worker and family support specialist education

There are a few differences between a detention worker and a family support specialist in terms of educational background:

Detention WorkerFamily Support Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorCriminal JusticePsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaHunter College of the City University of New York

Detention worker vs family support specialist demographics

Here are the differences between detention workers' and family support specialists' demographics:

Detention WorkerFamily Support Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 55.1% Female, 44.9%Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%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 Percentage8%10%

Differences between detention worker and family support specialist duties and responsibilities

Detention worker example responsibilities.

  • Lead support groups with an emphasis on recovery and strength base techniques, DBT, CBT, self-care and coping skills.
  • Recognize risk factors quickly, collaborate with interdisciplinary team, nurture positive relationships with patients through consistency and modeling healthy boundaries.
  • Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.

Family support specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage RSP curriculum for wide spectrum of needs including LD and autism.
  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Provide first aid or CPR.
  • Provide intensive services to families that are DHS who are determine to be reunify with their families.
  • Attend and participate in weekly staff meetings, individual supervision, and other meetings require by DCF.
  • Provide activities supervision and individual counseling to DCFS wards of the state within a therapeutic milieu setting.
  • Show more

Detention worker vs family support specialist skills

Common detention worker skills
  • Crisis Intervention, 22%
  • Perform Intake, 13%
  • Incident Reports, 13%
  • Emergency Situations, 12%
  • CPR, 7%
  • Juvenile Programs, 5%
Common family support specialist skills
  • Social Work, 23%
  • Child Abuse, 9%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Child Development, 4%
  • Crisis Intervention, 4%
  • Foster Care, 4%

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