Foster care support worker
Also known as: support worker (fostering), placement carer, placement officer, independent placement support worker, foster care worker, support worker (foster care)
About this occupation
Foster care support workers assist and support mentally or physically abused children to be legally separated from their parents. They help them to recover by placing them in appropriate families and making sure that the children welfare is a priority.
A specialisation of social care worker.
Essential skills and knowledge
- maintain records of work with service users
- listen actively
- conduct interview in social service
- support social service users in skills management
- apply person-centred care
- determine child placement
- contribute to protecting individuals from harm
- delegate activities
- comply with legislation in social services
- follow health and safety precautions in social care practices
- apply decision making within social work
- manage stress in organisation
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Child, Family, and School Social Workers (O*NET 21-1021.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
- Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
- Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
- Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
- Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.
- Counsel parents with child rearing problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
- Typical education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation
US median pay: US$59,550 a year (2025), 392,550 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyVery important (4.1)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.8)
- SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.4)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Community Health Workers
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
- Health Education Specialists
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.