Child Life Specialist job description

Job brief

We are seeking a compassionate, kind, and personable Child Life Specialist to join our team! The ideal candidate must demonstrate a strong passion for helping children to live their best lives during and after injury or illness, as well as having excellent communication skills and well-developed interpersonal skills. The role's key focus of is to support children and their families through the challenges and anxiety that come with being injured or sick for extended periods of time.

Responsibilities

• Communicate effectively with children, and their families, to provide support, assistance, and counseling to them during or after a lengthy injury or illness.
• Ease the anxiety and stress that naturally comes with long-term illness or hospitalization.
• Develop plans that assist the child and family with maintaining a living schedule as close to normal as possible.
• Create opportunities for play and interaction for the children.
• Encourage regular family involvement in activities, interaction, and personalized and dedicated attention.
• Assist with the development of coping mechanisms.
• Provide education to families on how to overcome and deal with stress, trauma, and anxiety of having a long-term illness, injury, or hospitalization of a child.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life Studies or a similar related field
• Minimum of two years’ experience in working with children with illnesses in a hospital or hospice type setting
• Certification as deemed suitable by the country you live in (ACLP) Association of Child Life Professionals
• Good interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Kind and compassionate in nature
• Creative and out-of-the-box thinker
• Effective planning and prioritization skills
• Good time management skills
• Ability to coach, mentor, and educate others