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Social worker assistant vs school social worker

The differences between social workers assistant and school social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a social worker assistant, becoming a school social worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $37,542 average annual salary of a social worker assistant.

The top three skills for a social worker assistant include social work, patients and public assistance. The most important skills for a school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.

Social worker assistant vs school social worker overview

Social Worker AssistantSchool Social Worker
Yearly salary$37,542$54,856
Hourly rate$18.05$26.37
Growth rate12%9%
Number of jobs115,098122,376
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Master's Degree, 51%
Average age4342
Years of experience124

What does a social worker assistant do?

A social worker assistant is in charge of performing support tasks for social workers in the joint effort to assist disadvantaged families in communities. Their responsibilities include preparing and processing documentation, managing schedules, arranging appointments with clients and external parties, handling calls and correspondence, maintaining records, and running errands on behalf of staff. Furthermore, a social worker assistant may reach out to families to identify their needs, conduct interviews and assessments, facilitate activities, and monitor the progress of families or individuals, referring them to other agencies as needed.

What does a school social worker do?

A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.

Social worker assistant vs school social worker salary

Social workers assistant and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Social Worker AssistantSchool Social Worker
Average salary$37,542$54,856
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $51,000Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateHawaiiWashington
Best paying companyMinnesota State FairBoston Public Schools
Best paying industryFinanceEducation

Differences between social worker assistant and school social worker education

There are a few differences between a social worker assistant and a school social worker in terms of educational background:

Social Worker AssistantSchool Social Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Master's Degree, 51%
Most common majorSocial WorkSocial Work
Most common collegeSUNY at BinghamtonBoston College

Social worker assistant vs school social worker demographics

Here are the differences between social workers assistant' and school social workers' demographics:

Social Worker AssistantSchool Social Worker
Average age4342
Gender ratioMale, 34.9% Female, 65.1%Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%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 Percentage11%10%

Differences between social worker assistant and school social worker duties and responsibilities

Social worker assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage the clinic's Medicaid enrollment process and assist clients with their application process under proper guidance.
  • Assist patients in coping with their lifestyle changes and overall help patients achieve optimum independence and reduce re-hospitalizations.
  • Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
  • Refer patients and their families to relevant community resources and coordinate with social services at other community agencies.
  • Maintain accurate records to comply with ESRD and CMS regulations.
  • Participate in monthly interdisciplinary team meetings regarding patient care.
  • Show more

School social worker example responsibilities.

  • Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
  • Provide individual, group and family therapy to patients suffering from substance abuse/dependence.
  • Prepare APS reports as needed and present them to the state.
  • Prepare IEP's, set goals, and objectives consistent with CSE standards.
  • Train college interns, new employees, and volunteers on APS policies and procedures.
  • Design school-wide and individual PBIS programs and incentives; as well as compiled data relate to PBIS.
  • Show more

Social worker assistant vs school social worker skills

Common social worker assistant skills
  • Social Work, 22%
  • Patients, 14%
  • Public Assistance, 11%
  • Community Resources, 5%
  • Mental Health, 5%
  • Social Services, 5%
Common school social worker skills
  • Social Work, 26%
  • Social Emotional, 6%
  • IEP, 6%
  • Community Resources, 5%
  • Professional Development, 5%
  • Behavioral Issues, 4%

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