Certified Child Life Specialist

Position Summary

This position addresses the unique developmental needs of children from birth to 18 years of age, and their families, to reduce the stress accompanying hospitalization by providing child-friendly, family-centered care.

Core Functions

• Provides opportunities for and facilitates a variety of play and activity forms, which promote self-healing, self-expression, understanding and mastery.
• Uses developmentally appropriate methods in preparing children and families for diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Extends support and offers counsel to family members, with respect to their own stress and needs.
• Supports family bonds and utilizes family strengths in the care of the child.
• Offers counsel specific to the impact of health care experience.
• Utilizes stress reduction techniques to facilitate adaptive coping.
• Provides emotional support during identified stress points.
• Provides child health care education.
• Provides or cooperates with programs, which assure continuity in the child’s normal life experience, e.g. school programs, personal and holiday celebrations.
• Provides inter-disciplinary in-service on child development and the impact of illness, injury, and hospitalization on children and families.
• Provides consultation to the health care team regarding the developmental status and individual needs of children to promote adaptation to treatment.
• Documents Child Life services in the patient’s care record, as well as program service statistics.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Child Life or related field, and a completed Child Life internship supervised by a CCLS.
• Professional Child Life Certification, or eligibility for Certification.
• BLS certification is a requirement of the job.
• Strong skills in growth and development, play and activities, the learning process, coping, assessment, interventions to prevent emotional trauma, collaboration with other health professionals, and a basic understanding of children’s illnesses and medical terminology.
• Proficient with commonly used office software.