Foster care worker vs child welfare specialist

The differences between foster care workers and child welfare 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 foster care worker and a child welfare specialist. Additionally, a child welfare specialist has an average salary of $50,377, which is higher than the $46,037 average annual salary of a foster care worker.

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

Foster care worker vs child welfare specialist overview

	Foster Care Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Yearly salary	$46,037	$50,377
Hourly rate	$22.13	$24.22
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	151,625	76,508
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a foster care worker do?

A Foster Care Worker helps improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families as well as increases the family's well-being and the academic functioning of children. They counsel families about issues regarding their child's care and develop healthy living situations.

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.

Foster care worker vs child welfare specialist salary

Foster care workers and child welfare specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Foster Care Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Average salary	$46,037	$50,377
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $65,000	Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Baltimore, MD	Cherry Hill, NJ
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Riverview Health	University of California
Best paying industry	Construction	Technology

Differences between foster care worker and child welfare specialist education

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

	Foster Care Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	Boston University	SUNY at Albany

Foster care worker vs child welfare specialist demographics

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

	Foster Care Worker	Child Welfare Specialist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 20.1% Female, 79.9%	Male, 20.2% Female, 79.8%
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, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between foster care worker and child welfare specialist duties and responsibilities

Foster care worker example responsibilities.

Conduct unscheduled regular school visits to attain records of attendance, suspensions, IEP, and treatment plans.
Manage to write progress note, complete FASP's and input information on PROMIS on a timely manner.
Manage caseload of 18 23 children and adolescents in DSS custody due to abuse, neglect and criminal activity.
Manage a caseload of families with children in DSS custody awaiting return home to family of origin base upon progress make.
Lead presentation and training sessions to community and inter-agency groups.
Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.

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.

Foster care worker vs child welfare specialist skills

Common foster care worker skills

Foster Care, 26%
Social Work, 19%
Child Abuse, 7%
Social Services, 6%
Foster Children, 5%
Community Resources, 4%

Common child welfare specialist skills

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

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Foster Care Worker
Foster Care Worker vs Child Welfare Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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