House parent vs direct support staff

The differences between house parents and direct support staff can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a house parent has an average salary of $34,797, which is higher than the $31,268 average annual salary of a direct support staff.

The top three skills for a house parent include crisis intervention, foster care and direct care. The most important skills for a direct support staff are direct support, direct care, and transport clients.

House parent vs direct support staff overview

	House Parent	Direct Support Staff
Yearly salary	$34,797	$31,268
Hourly rate	$16.73	$15.03
Growth rate	36%	36%
Number of jobs	25,144	182,001
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Average age	26	48
Years of experience	-	-

House parent vs direct support staff salary

House parents and direct support staff have different pay scales, as shown below.

	House Parent	Direct Support Staff
Average salary	$34,797	$31,268
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $49,000	Between $18,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Maria, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Rockwell Medical
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between house parent and direct support staff education

There are a few differences between a house parent and a direct support staff in terms of educational background:

	House Parent	Direct Support Staff
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

House parent vs direct support staff demographics

Here are the differences between house parents' and direct support staff' demographics:

	House Parent	Direct Support Staff
Average age	26	48
Gender ratio	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%	Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 8.0% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	13%	7%

Differences between house parent and direct support staff duties and responsibilities

House parent example responsibilities.

Lead support groups with an emphasis on recovery and strength base techniques, DBT, CBT, self-care and coping skills.
Attend multiple trainings on child development, wellness action plans, as well as CPR certification.
Demonstrate proficiency in administering medications, assisting with ADL's.
Promote continuity of care by accurately and completely communicating to other caregivers the status of patients for which care is provided.
Create new forms to help house moms stay better organize and help with household and DHS responsibilities.
Prepare meals, pick up groceries when need, administer and document all medications.

Direct support staff example responsibilities.

Ensure HIPAA compliance and provide client education.
Perform first aid, CPR and seizure care when require.
Assist mentally disable adults with ADL such as bathing cooking clothing, cleaning and medication administration.
Administer medication, provide transportation, assist with ADL skills, and inspire consumers to be independent.
Provide caring and companionship to elderly and developmentally disable consumers and provide primary resident care and assistance with daily living activities.
Maintain a safe and supportive environment while learning proper case management and the importance of ISP's and BSP's.

House parent vs direct support staff skills

Common house parent skills

Crisis Intervention, 12%
Foster Care, 9%
Direct Care, 9%
CPR, 9%
Child Care, 7%
Foster Children, 7%

Common direct support staff skills

Direct Support, 17%
Direct Care, 11%
Transport Clients, 11%
Good Judgment, 9%
Home Maintenance, 7%
Ongoing Support, 7%