Licensed Clinical Social Worker

At Playground Pediatrics, our purpose is to give every child what they need to grow up healthy, cared for, and celebrated. We are writing a new chapter for children’s health by strengthening pediatric care and support within communities that we serve. If you are motivated to advance the future of pediatric care, we would love to have you join our team.

Values that bring you to Playground

• You question the way things have always been and explore what could be better
• You hold yourself accountable to do what’s right, always putting the needs of children and families at the center of decisions
• You assume good intent, listen first, and treat every interaction as a chance to build trust
• You bring energy and passion into your work
• You embrace challenges and believe that you can build something better

Position Summary

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) will join our remote behavioral health team and serve patients across North Carolina and other states. This role provides high-quality therapeutic care to pediatric patients — children and adolescents — navigating a range of behavioral and mental health conditions. The clinician will manage a caseload that includes both episodic (short-term, focused) and longitudinal (ongoing, long-term) therapy relationships, delivering evidence-based interventions via telehealth to patients. The clinician will also coordinate with patients’ primary care teams to develop comprehensive treatment plans according to their individual mental and behavioral health needs.

Playground Pediatrics currently operates 7 clinics across Fayetteville, Raleigh, and surrounding areas. Flexible part-time schedule based on clinician availability and patient needs. Preference for candidates with availability during after-school hours (approximately 2:00–6:00 p.m.) and occasional weekend hours.

Location

Remote (North Carolina), option for hybrid if located in Fayetteville, Raleigh, or surrounding areas with the ability to attend occasional in-person care or meetings.

Travel

Quarterly travel

Schedule

20 hours per week working after-school hours (typically 2–6pm), with some flexibility in scheduling (e.g., 3–7pm) to accommodate school schedules.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide individual, episodic, and longitudinal psychotherapy to pediatric patients (children and adolescents) presenting with behavioral health conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, adjustment disorders, trauma, and disruptive behavior concerns.
• Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments and develop individualized, measurement-based treatment plans in collaboration with patients, families/caregivers, and the broader care team, including Primary Care Providers and Care Managers.
• Deliver therapy using evidence-based modalities (e.g., CBT, DBT-informed skills, play therapy techniques, family systems approach) tailored to developmental stage and clinical presentation.
• Manage a mixed caseload that includes short-term/episodic care (e.g., crisis stabilization, brief solution-focused interventions) as well as longer-term therapeutic relationships requiring ongoing treatment planning and monitoring.
• Engage parents/caregivers as active participants in treatment, providing psychoeducation and coaching to support progress outside of session.
• Coordinate care with patients’ Primary Care Providers, Care Managers, psychiatrists, schools, and other providers as needed to ensure continuity and a whole-child approach to treatment.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and clinically sound documentation in the electronic health record (EHR) in compliance with regulatory, payer, and organizational standards.
• Monitor patient progress and adjust treatment plans accordingly.
• Identify and appropriately respond to safety concerns, including suicidal ideation, self-harm, or abuse/neglect, following organizational protocols and mandatory reporting requirements.
• Stay current on best practices in pediatric behavioral health and maintain compliance with continuing education requirements for licensure.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the needs of the practice and organization

Requirements

• Active, unrestricted LCSW license in North Carolina (or ability to obtain licensure/reciprocity in NC prior to start; multi-state licensure via PSW Compact or additional states is a plus).
• Master's degree in social work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Minimum of 2+ years of post-licensure clinical experience providing therapy to children and/or adolescents.
• Experience conducting psychosocial assessments and developing individualized treatment plans for pediatric populations.
• Experience with evidence-based therapy modalities such as child-focused CBT, PCIT, and/or play therapy.
• Strong understanding of child and adolescent development and family systems.
• Comfort and proficiency delivering care via telehealth platforms.
• Excellent clinical documentation skills and familiarity with EHR systems.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for working with multidisciplinary care teams and family caregivers.
• Reliable high-speed internet and a private, HIPAA-compliant home workspace suitable for telehealth sessions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within an integrated or collaborative care model (e.g., alongside pediatricians or psychiatrists).
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.
• Prior experience in a telehealth-first or virtual-care organization.