Child Life Specialist

Lifespan; Providence (RI); On-site; USD 48,068 - 79,372; Full time

Job summary

Brown University Health is seeking a Certified Child Life Specialist to support pediatric patients and families in a hospital setting. You will assess needs, implement developmentally appropriate play, and coordinate care within a multidisciplinary team.

The role emphasizes family education, coping strategies, and preparation for medical experiences, with opportunities to educate staff and contribute to program evaluation.

Qualifications

• ACLP internship hours verified (minimum 600 hours).
• Bachelor’s degree in child life, child development, or closely related field required; master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Child Life Specialist by the Association of Child Life Professionals (or completion within one year of hire).
• Completion of child life professional internship with one year of experience working with children; healthcare setting strongly preferred.
• Independent action within department policies; refer complex problems to supervisor when clarification is required.
• Supervisory responsibility: orients, trains, and supervises students and volunteers assigned to the unit.

Responsibilities

• Assess developmental, psychosocial, and family needs to plan care.
• Provide psychosocially and developmentally appropriate support and advocacy.
• Educate families with resources promoting learning mastery.
• Prepare families for challenging situations to minimize fear and anxiety.
• Develop coping strategies to minimize distress and promote empowerment.
• Facilitate play to promote development and normalization.
• Evaluate and document goals, interventions, outcomes, and events.
• Collaborate with the healthcare team and community resources.
• Educate staff, students, volunteers, and the community about child life.
• Engage in quality improvement, staffing, policies, and program evaluation.
• Engage in ongoing learning to stay updated on medical information.
• Orient, train, and supervise students and volunteers.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Independent work

Supervisory skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in child life, child development, or closely related field

Master’s degree preferred

Certified Child Life Specialist (or completion within one year of hire)

Job description

Summary

Our Certified Child Life Specialists embrace a collaborative multidisciplinary approach in meeting the developmental psychosocial and intellectual needs of pediatric patients and their families. We implement therapeutic medical preparation, supervise, organize and direct age‑appropriate therapeutic play experiences to help alleviate anxiety and provide a sense of normalcy while offering developmentally appropriate medical teaching to help patients better understand their medical experience. As a member of a multidisciplinary team we assess the developmental, psychosocial, and intellectual needs of pediatric patients to plan, organize, and direct a therapeutic program that reduces stress, anxiety, and fear associated with illness and hospitalization. We create a healing environment while promoting social, emotional and intellectual growth and wellbeing. Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another. In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors that tell us how we work together and how we get things done: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate.

Responsibilities

• Assessment: Identify, obtain, and use relevant data about the child and family to develop a comprehensive assessment and initiate a plan of care. Identify developmental, psychosocial, and family‑identified needs and goals to provide family‑centered care.
• Intervention: Provide psychosocially and developmentally appropriate support responsive to the specific needs of children and families; empower and collaborate with them to develop and use advocacy skills.
• Educate families: Provide educational opportunities and resources that are responsive to their needs to promote learning mastery.
• Prepare families: Facilitate the psychological and educational preparation for challenging situations to minimize fear and anxiety and promote proficiency.
• Develop coping strategies: Assist children and families with pain management, positioning for comfort, distraction, alternative focus, guided imagery, and child participation to minimize distress and promote empowerment.
• Facilitate play: Encourage expression, process information, and promote development and normalization through recreational, healthcare, therapeutic, and familiar life experiences.
• Evaluate and document: Record assessment goals, interventions, outcomes, and significant events to communicate and modify care plans as necessary.
• Team collaboration: Function as a member of the healthcare team and promote professional relationships with the child life team, inter‑disciplinary teams, and community resources.
• Educate others: Provide education to staff, students, volunteers, and the community to promote greater awareness of the needs of children and families as well as the child life profession.
• Administrative duties: Recognize and document activities related to quality improvement, staffing, resource allocation, policies, and program evaluation to ensure quality services.
• Continuing education: Engage in ongoing learning, including relevant medical information, technology, research, and literature, to promote professional development.
• Orientation and supervision: Orient, train, and supervise students and volunteers assigned to the unit.
• Other duties: Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Association of Child Life Professionals verified internship hours (minimum 600 hours).
• Bachelor’s degree in child life, child development, or a closely related field required; master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Child Life Specialist by the Association of Child Life Professionals (or completion within one year of hire).
• Completion of child life professional internship with one year of experience working with children; professional child life experience in a healthcare setting strongly preferred.
• Independent action: Perform independently within the department’s policies and practices and refer complex problems to the supervisor when clarification is required.
• Supervisory responsibility: Orients, trains, and supervises students and volunteers assigned to the unit.

Pay Range: $48,068.80–$79,372.80

EEO Statement: Brown University Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment.

Location: Rhode Island Hospital – 593 Eddy Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Work Type: Variable

Work Shift: Variable

Daily Hours: 10 hours

Driving Required: No