Kids Are Our Everything.
Department
10286 Child Life and Integrated Care
Pay Range
$54,683.20 - $91,145.60
About the Role:
The Child Life Specialist provides therapeutic services and play activities to promote the physical, emotional and developmental growth of patients and minimize potential stress and trauma for patients and families
What You'll Bring:
Minimum Education
Bachelor's Degree Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Development or related field. (Required)
Master's Degree Master's degree in Child Life, Child Development or related field. (Preferred)
Required Skills/Knowledge
Knowledge of child and adolescent growth and development based on the theories of development, including but not limited to Piaget, Erikson, Bowlby, and Vygotsky
Knowledge of age-appropriate play and ability to utilize play as a mechanism for patient-understanding of the hospital environment and experiences
Ability to assess patient’s development and response to hospital environment and provide developmentally appropriate interventions
Ability to discuss medical experiences in age-appropriate, child-friendly language
Understanding of basic human anatomy and physiology and knowledge of medical terminology
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple tasks simultaneously, utilizing critical thinking and problem solving skills
Ability to comfortably work with internal and external customers from diverse social, cultural and educational backgrounds.
Ability to identify and work collaboratively with diverse teams.
Ability to listen, be empathetic, motivate and follow-through, and eager to seize challenges and resolve issues
Functional Accountabilities
Direct Patient Care
Assesses patients’ development, temperament, coping style, and adjustment using knowledge of child development and behavior, disease/injury, treatment, healthcare stressors, cultural and family systems
Provides opportunities for and facilitates a variety of group and/or individual recreational and play activities that promote normalization, development, learning, self-expression, and coping
Provides education and support to siblings and parents related to hospital visits, effects of hospitalization, procedures, new diagnoses, etc.
Patient Experience
Collaborates with child life team and other professionals to provide activities, special visitors, events, and entertainment to patients and families hospital-wide
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Uses formal and informal methods of communication to share assessments, interventions, and evaluations, as appropriate
Program Development
Professional Development
Develops and maintains professional skills and knowledge by attending seminars, workshops, conferences, etc.
Benefits That Support You:
Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
Generous paid time off, including vacation accrual from day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
Financial wellness support, including a 401(k) plan and healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
Additional perks, including tuition assistance, fitness resources, employee assistance, commuter benefits, and more.
Why Join Us:
Nationally Recognized Excellence – Consistently ranked among the Top 10 Children’s Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Leading Pediatric Care – One of the largest and most comprehensive children’s hospitals in the country, offering nationally ranked specialties and cutting-edge treatments.
Innovation & Research – A premier academic medical center with a strong commitment to pediatric research, education, and advancing the future of child health.
Mission-Driven Culture – Dedicated to providing family-centered care while fostering a collaborative, supportive environment for clinical teams.
The disclosed salary range includes the minimum and maximum rates within which Children’s National believes an individual’s base pay rate will fall for this position. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the maximum of the pay range. The exact pay rate for this position will be based on a variety of factors in alignment with the Children’s National compensation philosophy. These factors are legitimate and non-discriminatory including, but not limited to, the current market conditions; organizational needs; the individual’s combination of prior work experience, level of education, knowledge, skills, and other qualifications. Children’s National is committed to providing a fair and competitive total rewards package to each of our employees. This base salary range does not include our comprehensive benefits package or any additional compensation for which this position may be eligible.
Childrens National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The “Know Your Rights” poster is available here: and the pay transparency policy is available here: Know Your RightsPay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster.
Please note that it is the policy of Children's National Hospital to ensure a “drug-free” work environment: a workplace free from the illegal use, possession or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act), or the misuse of legal substances, by all staff (management, employees and contractors). Though recreational and medical marijuana are now legal in the District of Columbia, Children's National and its affiliates maintain the right, in accordance with our policy, to enforce a drug-free workplace, including prohibiting recreational or prescribed marijuana.
