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Family specialist vs family support specialist

The differences between family specialists 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 family specialist and a family support specialist. Additionally, a family specialist has an average salary of $40,115, which is higher than the $37,343 average annual salary of a family support specialist.

The top three skills for a family specialist include social work, foster care and substance abuse. The most important skills for a family support specialist are social work, child abuse, and patients.

Family specialist vs family support specialist overview

Family SpecialistFamily Support Specialist
Yearly salary$40,115$37,343
Hourly rate$19.29$17.95
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs81,148143,739
Job satisfaction2-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a family specialist do?

A Family Specialist performs social work for families in need. They are focused on helping individuals and families to improve their lives.

What does a family support specialist do?

A family support specialist is an individual who provides counseling and rehabilitation services to families who are facing crises so that their lives can be improved. Family support specialists conduct interviews with members of a family to determine areas that need support such as anti-social behavior, bullying, or domestic violence. They collaborate with healthcare and social professionals to evaluate caseload needs. In cases of relevant child protection, family support specialists are also required to attend court sessions.

Family specialist vs family support specialist salary

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

Family SpecialistFamily Support Specialist
Average salary$40,115$37,343
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $51,000Between $24,000 And $55,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WATrenton, NJ
Highest paying stateWashingtonNew Jersey
Best paying companyBrigham and Women's HospitalCatholic Health East
Best paying industryTechnologyProfessional

Differences between family specialist and family support specialist education

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

Family SpecialistFamily Support Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeSUNY at AlbanyHunter College of the City University of New York

Family specialist vs family support specialist demographics

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

Family SpecialistFamily Support Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 32.4% Female, 67.6%Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
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 specialist and family support specialist duties and responsibilities

Family specialist example responsibilities.

  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Complete family assessments and supervise visit documentation for family DHS worker and also for court hearing purposes.
  • Co-Facilitate state require GPS: MAPP training for prospective adoptive parents.
  • Do MAPP trainings with potential foster and adoptive parents to assist them to make an inform decision.
  • Assess the families' capacity to protect their children, and ensure compliance with the DHS safety plan.
  • Develop deep trust and credibility through empathy, integrity, compassion and consistently providing sound advice and helpful support.
  • Show more

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

Family specialist vs family support specialist skills

Common family specialist skills
  • Social Work, 22%
  • Foster Care, 11%
  • Substance Abuse, 7%
  • Crisis Intervention, 7%
  • Child Abuse, 6%
  • Community Resources, 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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