BETA
Updated: Feb 6
BETA
Updated: Feb 6
Stable
Last Update: 11/21/2025
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
72.6%
Median Score
Changing Fast
Evolving
Stable
What does this resilience result mean?
These roles are expected to remain steady over time, with AI supporting rather than replacing the core work.
AI Resilience Report for
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
They help children and families solve problems by offering support, guidance, and resources to improve their well-being and relationships.
Summary
The career of a Child, Family, and School Social Worker is considered stable because many of the core tasks, like counseling and guiding people through difficult situations, require human empathy, trust, and ethical judgment—qualities that AI can't replicate. While AI can help with paperwork and data management, it can't replace the human connection necessary for building relationships and providing support.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoSummary
The career of a Child, Family, and School Social Worker is considered stable because many of the core tasks, like counseling and guiding people through difficult situations, require human empathy, trust, and ethical judgment—qualities that AI can't replicate. While AI can help with paperwork and data management, it can't replace the human connection necessary for building relationships and providing support.
Read full analysisContributing Sources
AI Resilience
All scores are converted into percentiles showing where this career ranks among U.S. careers. For models that measure impact or risk, we flip the percentile (subtract it from 100) to derive resilience.
CareerVillage.org's AI Resilience Analysis
AI Task Resilience
Stable97.4%
97.4%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Changing fast6.9%
6.9%
Anthropic's Economic Index
AI Resilience
Stable99%
99%
Will Robots Take My Job
Automation Resilience
Stable85.8%
85.8%
High Demand
Labor Market Outlook
We use BLS employment projections to complement the AI-focused assessments from other sources.
Learn about this scoreGrowth Rate (2024-34):
3.4%
Growth Percentile:
55.7%
Annual Openings:
35.1
Annual Openings Pct:
77.9%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Child/Family/School SW
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 11/21/2025
State of Automation & Augmentation
Right now, most social worker tasks still require humans. For example, the U.S. labor office (O*NET) reports that only about 14% of this job is “highly automated” [1]. Researchers have used AI (machine learning and natural language processing) in case management pilots – for instance, computers have been trained to sort and classify client records or referrals [2] [2].
One study even built a chatbot (GPT-4 on WhatsApp) to conduct parts of client interviews, and it could follow a structured plan and show some empathy [3]. These examples hint that AI can help with data-heavy tasks like reading case files or generating reports, but they are still experimental and not widespread.
Many key social work activities remain firmly human. Tasks like counseling parents, advising in court, or guiding vulnerable teens involve trust and ethical judgment. Some companies have released AI “therapy” apps and digital companions, but experts warn they are not proven replacements for social workers.
In fact, regulators in several states have even banned AI-delivered therapy because unregulated bots can pose risks [4]. Studies of AI friends for teens found these apps sometimes behave oddly or encourage dependence, and experts stress they are “no substitute for real human relationships” [5] [5]. In short, technology can assist with paperwork, but it cannot yet take the place of a human ear or responsible adult in sensitive cases.
Sources
AI Adoption
There are reasons to think AI might be used more over time. Social workers often face heavy caseloads, so any tool that saves time is welcome. In mid-2025, major funders (like the Gates Foundation) pledged \$1 billion to develop AI helpers for frontline workers (including social workers) [4].
Even big AI labs (Anthropic) are teaming up to build these tools [4]. Early projects (not necessarily “true AI”) show big efficiency gains: for example, a New Zealand agency automated its referral process and cut what used to take days down to hours [6]. Such success stories suggest that well-designed software could reduce paperwork, which theoretically would let social workers spend more time on people, not forms.
On the other hand, adoption may be slow and cautious. Social work involves sensitive legal and personal issues, so agencies move carefully. New AI tools must be proven safe and fair.
News reports note that states like Illinois outright banned AI therapy apps without oversight [4]. Other experts point out that many AI chatbots lack proper safeguards for children and can give harmful advice [5]. Agencies worry about privacy, data bias, and ethical rules.
In practice, this likely means AI will first be used for simple tasks (data entry, translation, reminders) rather than replacing a social worker. Human skills – like listening, empathy, and judgment – remain central.
Sources
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More Career Info
Career: Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Parent Careers
Similar Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$58,570
Jobs (2024)
399,900
Growth (2024-34)
+3.4%
Annual Openings
35,100
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Counsel individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues including mental health, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, physical abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, child care, o...
2
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 disabi...
3
Work in child and adolescent residential institutions.
4
Place children in foster or adoptive homes, institutions, or medical treatment centers.
5
Lead group counseling sessions that provide support in such areas as grief, stress, or chemical dependency.
6
Serve on policy-making committees, assist in community development, and assist client groups by lobbying for solutions to problems.
7
Counsel students whose behavior, school progress, or mental or physical impairment indicate a need for assistance, diagnosing students' problems and arranging for needed services.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
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