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The differences between protective service 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 protective service specialist and a family support specialist. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $37,343 average annual salary of a family support specialist.
The top three skills for a protective service specialist include social work, child safety and foster care. The most important skills for a family support specialist are social work, child abuse, and patients.
| Protective Service Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,293 | $37,343 |
| Hourly rate | $24.18 | $17.95 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 81,211 | 143,739 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Protective Service Specialists provide information to individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency through child support services and employment opportunities. Most of these specialists recommend family services include parenting education, drug counseling, and financial base services. They review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for federal and state aid programs, including food stamps, Medicaid, and emergency assistance. Also, protective service specialists assist families with the resources that can help resolve the issues that risk the children's placement. They may even provide staff supervision about referrals obtained to ensure that they meet the criteria for services and intervention.
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.
Protective service specialists and family support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Service Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $50,293 | $37,343 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $24,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Parsons | Catholic Health East |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a protective service specialist and a family support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Protective Service Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | Hunter College of the City University of New York |
Here are the differences between protective service specialists' and family support specialists' demographics:
| Protective Service Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| 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% |