ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICE WORKER 1
Career Family: ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICE WORKER
New Jersey classifies Assistant Family Service Worker 1 as non-competitive, which skips the exam-and-list step and turns on whether you meet the minimum requirements.
It is the lowest-paid of the 4 Assistant Family Service Worker grades, a step below Assistant Family Service Worker 2, whose band tops out about $7,951 higher. What it takes is 1 year of relevant experience. Pay on the FY 2027 schedule runs $38,928 to $55,860, and state payroll currently lists about 174 people in the title, most of them at Children and Families.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Assistant Family Service Worker 1 appears on the State payroll at one department, Department of Children and Families.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Children and Families | 174 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Pay ladder: Assistant Family Service Worker series
- Assistant Family Service Worker 1 — $38,928 – $55,860 (this title)
- Assistant Family Service Worker 2 — $44,260 – $63,811
- Assistant Family Service Worker 3 — $48,272 – $69,861
- Assistant Family Service Worker 4 — $52,696 – $76,518
Promoting to Assistant Family Service Worker 2 raises the top of the band by about $7,951. Its top salary lands around the 2nd percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY 2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 174 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $44,155. The agencies employing the most are:
- Children and Families (174)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under close supervision of a Supervising Family Service Specialist 1, or 2 or other supervisory official in the Department of Children and Families, assists professional staff in providing services to clients with social, emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems which may include transportation services, training and work programs, home and money management, setting up medical or dental appointments, family planning services, parenting techniques, receiving complaints involving desertion and abusive parents and supplementary supportive visits under the close supervision of a case worker; does other related duties.
Examples of work
Under close supervision, learns to perform social service support tasks during in-service training. Transports clients to and from family visits, medical appointments, schools, and other service providers. Oversees visitation between children and families. Provides information to clients regarding employment opportunities, work training programs, and preschool education. Refers school dropouts to appropriate community services for help in job training or to return to school. Works with clients to discuss reasons for failure to keep medical or dental appointments. Aids clients in obtaining or verifying eligibility information. Aids clients in obtaining verification of births, deaths, and marriages. May assist in placing clients in boarding homes, nursing homes or hospitals. Initiates correspondence to set up various types of appointments. May assist in initiating complaints involving desertion, abusive parents and other related matters. Aids clients with money management and purchase of food, clothing, and other needed items. Aids clients in completing institutional commitment papers on behalf of family members. Aids clients in obtaining needed social services. Prepares reports and completes forms. Assesses day care needs of clients. May provide child care. Provides information on the availability of family planning services. Records family visit summaries. Shares community resource information with staff and clients. Aids clients in keeping appointments with agencies or community health services. Provides the agency with client needs information based on observations, informal discussions and personal experience. Participates in group meetings and conferences. May participate in teaching homemaking and parenting techniques. Provides supplementary supportive visits to families under the close supervision of a caseworker. May assist in vehicle maintenance. Maintains essential records and files. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
One (1) year of experience in social services providing services to clients which may include providing basic information, services like transportation and overseeing visitation, and gathering information regarding history to ascertain client needs.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the problems likely to be encountered by clients with social, emotional, psychological or behavioral problems. Knowledge of the types of community services and organizations likely to be needed by the client population served. Knowledge of the methods used to gather information. Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations and apply them to specific situations. Ability to organize work and develop appropriate work methods. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those interested or involved in the work of the unit. Ability to interpret and explain social service programs, goals, and eligibility requirements. Ability to operate a motor vehicle for an extended period of time. Ability to perform heavy lifting of children and their belongings. Ability to follow instructions and work independently on assignments. Ability to learn from an in-service training program. Ability to conduct interviews and gather information. Ability to prepare reports. Ability to maintain records and files. Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Thirty (30) semester hour credits from an accredited college, which must include twelve (12) semester hour credits in the behavioral sciences, may be substituted for the experience listed above.