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Family preservation worker vs child support specialist

The differences between family preservation workers and child 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 family preservation worker and a child support specialist. Additionally, a family preservation worker has an average salary of $43,208, which is higher than the $38,271 average annual salary of a child support specialist.

The top three skills for a family preservation worker include social work, crisis intervention and child welfare. The most important skills for a child support specialist are customer service, social work, and child support cases.

Family preservation worker vs child support specialist overview

Family Preservation WorkerChild Support Specialist
Yearly salary$43,208$38,271
Hourly rate$20.77$18.40
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs41,993143,623
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

Family preservation worker vs child support specialist salary

Family preservation workers and child support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Family Preservation WorkerChild Support Specialist
Average salary$43,208$38,271
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $60,000Between $29,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City-Rockville, MD
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-University of Rochester
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between family preservation worker and child support specialist education

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

Family Preservation WorkerChild Support Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorSocial WorkPsychology
Most common collegeHunter College of the City University of New YorkUniversity of Pennsylvania

Family preservation worker vs child support specialist demographics

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

Family Preservation WorkerChild Support Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 23.7% Female, 76.3%Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1%
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 family preservation worker and child support specialist duties and responsibilities

Family preservation worker example responsibilities.

  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Provide information and support to transitioning foster youth during assessment, case planning or other permanency and transition-relate activities.
  • Perform related adoptions and supervisory visits for state adoptions.

Child support specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage project SharePoint site for the purpose of supporting ongoing collaboration
  • Train in CPR and child restraint.
  • Represent clients during mediation proceedings in court.
  • Process summons, subpoenas, appeals and motions.
  • Change diapers, clean and disinfect center to meet DHS standars.
  • Used mediation skills to dissolve disputes between custodial and non custodial parents.
  • Show more

Family preservation worker vs child support specialist skills

Common family preservation worker skills
  • Social Work, 25%
  • Crisis Intervention, 12%
  • Child Welfare, 9%
  • Child Protective, 5%
  • Community Resources, 5%
  • Court Hearings, 5%
Common child support specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Child Support Cases, 8%
  • Court Orders, 6%
  • Child Support Orders, 6%
  • Child Support Enforcement, 5%

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