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What is a protective service specialist and how to become one
Many people dream of becoming a comic book superhero, and protective service specialists are perhaps the closest real-life equivalent. Protective Service Specialists are more than bodyguards. They are social workers first and foremost.
Many victims of abuse, abandoned children, and impoverished families' lives have been improved through the help and guidance of a protective service specialist. Protective service specialists often work with or work for government institutions like Child Protective Services (CPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS), conducting investigations into reports of child abuse and domestic violence. They then refer these cases to the CPS or APS and often advise them on how to best handle crisis interventions. Afterward, protective service specialists work closely with their clients through medical assessments, court proceedings, and mental health counseling.
The average protective service specialist makes roughly about $47,000 in a year. However, workers in Washington, D.C. tend to receive higher salaries compared to those in other states.
What general advice would you give to a protective service specialist?
Debra Minsky-Kelly
Director of Field Education / Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work, Carthage College
Avg. Salary $50,293
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 9%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.51%
Asian 2.67%
Black or African American 13.37%
Hispanic or Latino 15.12%
Unknown 4.19%
White 63.14%
Genderfemale 65.46%
male 34.54%
Age - 42American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 42Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Protective service specialist career paths
Key steps to become a protective service specialist
Explore protective service specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific protective service specialist skills
Skills Percentages Social Work 16.08% Child Safety 6.52% Foster Care 6.47% Social Services 5.74% APS 5.09% Complete relevant protective service specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New protective service specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a protective service specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real protective service specialist resumes.Research protective service specialist duties and responsibilities
- Manage a caseload TANF clients, assess clients eligibility to receive benefits, assist with placement of clients in various programs.
- Review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for state and federal aid programs, including Medicaid, food stamps and emergency assistance.
- Perform related adoptions and supervisory visits for state adoptions.
Prepare your protective service specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your protective service specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a protective service specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable protective service specialist resume templates
Build a professional protective service specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your protective service specialist resume.
Apply for protective service specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a protective service specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first protective service specialist job
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Average protective service specialist salary
The average protective service specialist salary in the United States is $50,293 per year or $24 per hour. Protective service specialist salaries range between $32,000 and $76,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do protective service specialists rate their job?
Protective service specialist reviews
can be easy to get burnt out, pay is ok
The children are always worth it.
Serving people, impacting change in communities, never boring
Updated January 8, 2025
