Overview

The Child Family Life Specialist provides services to pediatric patients and their families to support coping and adaptation to the health care environment, utilizing play as a therapeutic modality. Provides clinical psychosocial services throughout the hospital system based on the competencies of a certified child life specialist (CCLS). The Child Family Life Specialist will function as an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team, applying a knowledge of child development and family systems to their practice. Minimum of a BA/BS in child life, therapeutic recreation, family or child development, counseling, child psychology, education, social work, nursing or related fields. Completion of a child life internship with a minimum of 600 hours. CCLS certification through the ACLP required, or ability to sit for the exam within 6 months of hire.

Responsibilities Job Description

• Ability to assess patient and family psychosocial needs and implement therapeutic coping plans.

• Describe and apply formal and informal techniques to assess developmental and emotional state

• Identify factors that impact a child and family’s vulnerability to stress and trauma and how children and families interpret and make meaning of health, illness, and loss

• Describe and apply the cyclical process of assessment, plan, intervention, and evaluation of child life services

• Ability to integrate clinical evidence and fundamental child life knowledge into professional decision making.

• Identify therapeutic approaches that facilitate open-ended, developmentally-supportive play andexpressive arts

• Utilize play as an assessment tool that encourages patients to express their anxieties, misconceptions, and perceptions of hospital experiences.

• Ability to provide developmentally appropriate preparation, teaching, and education regarding patients’ diagnosis, plan of care, and independent coping skills.

• Identify basic terminology,processes, and expected plan of care for the population served.

• Articulate learning styles and needs of individuals with various developmental levels, emotional states,and of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Describe common fears, misconceptions and concerns of individuals in each developmentalstage.

• Determine realistic goals and objectives for learning in collaboration with family members andother healthcare professionals andidentify an action plan to achieve these goals.

• Use accurate and developmentally appropriate teaching aids and techniques to increase knowledge andsupport emotional needs.

• Ability to facilitate positive coping experiences and provide developmentally appropriate procedural support during stressful, painful, and traumatic healthcare experiences.

• Identify types of stressful events affecting children and families, including medical procedures, pain,traumatic life events, loss, end of life, and grief work.

• Describe immediate and long-term coping styles and techniques, as well as their effect onadjustment and behavior.

• Articulate and apply effective non-pharmacological pain management techniques.

• Describe sensory, cognitive, and behavioral coping strategies specific to developmental stages andpopulations.

• Implement a team plan for coping support during medical procedures, including parental presence withguidance, comfort positions, role responsibilities, and distraction techniques to help children refocustheir attention.

• Facilitate planning, rehearsal, implementation, and evaluation of coping strategies.

• Ability to provide opportunities for play for infants, children, youth, and families

• Articulate and implement theories of human growth and development, play, and family systems

• Demonstrate the ability to assess individual play needs and incorporate play into daily practice.

• Facilitate opportunities for play to decrease distress, provide enjoyment and comfort, enhance mastery,and promote healing.

• Plan and implement appropriate play activities and materials for children and families of diversecultures, varying developmental needs, and physical abilities.

• Establish safe and engaging play spaces that promote cross cultural connections, facility group play, and encourage children to choose and explore at their own pace.

• Ability to provide psychosocial support to patients, siblings, and family systems.

• Identify types of stressful events affecting children and families, including medical procedures, pain,traumatic life events, loss, end of life, and grief work.

• Understand the role of communication, particularly active listening and empathic responding, inbuilding relationships with families undergoing stress.

• Understand the role of self-reflection in aiding patients and families in the process of mourning.

• Establish and maintain a therapeutic, healing and family-centered environment.

• Promoting family connections and togetherness during times of separation due to hospitalization or illness.

• Ability to practice within the scope of professional and personal knowledge and skill base including the supervision of students.

• Take action to ensure personal responsibilities and professional competencies are maintained and do notfall below a level considered acceptable in the field of practice.

• Communicate concisely with other healthcare professionals, integrating theory and evidence-based practice toobtain and share pertinentinformation.

• Consult with other health professionals to initiate collaboration, offer direction, share insight, and coordinate interventions.

• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries to preserve the therapeutic relationship as defined by the organization and the ACLP.

• Incorporate evidence-based practice and research into child life practice through continuing education.

• Other Professional responsibilities, as assigned.

• Work as an integral part of the Patient and Family Support Services team in supporting other disciplines in providing patient and family centered care.

• Utilize and supervise volunteers for child life programming or patient care needs.

• Demonstrates ability to provide care or service adjusting approaches to reflect developmental level and cultural differences of population served.

• Partners with patient care giver in care/decision making.

• Communicates in a respective manner.

• Ensures a safe, secure environment.

• Individualizes plan of care to meet patient needs.

• Modifies clinical interventions based on population served.

• Provides patient education based on as assessment of learning needs of patient/care giver.

• Fulfills all organizational requirements.

• Completes all required learning relevant to the role.

• Complies with and maintains knowledge of all relevant laws, regulation, policies, procedures and standards.

• Fosters a culture of improvement, efficiency and innovative thinking.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Child Life, Family or Child Development, Counseling, Child Psychology, Education, Social Work, Nursing, or related field.

Experience: Completion of child life internship as recognized by the ACLP

License/Certification/Registration: Ability to sit for and pass CCLS certification exam within 6 months of hire; BLS

Preferred

Education: Bachelors or masters in child life or closely related field

Experience: Three to five years experience as a CCLS

License/Certification/Registration: Current CCLS certification; BLS

EEO Statement

EEO/AA Employer/Vet/Disabled: All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to any lawfully protected status