Adult Support Child Life Specialist

Child Life Specialist

Our Child and Family Life Team provides developmentally based therapeutic interventions for pediatric patients and families which support coping skills, medical insights, and socialization. By providing psychosocial care to 25+ pediatric units/departments, we serve hundreds of families every day.

We fight for every child. With 350+ pediatric specialists and subspecialists, 12 years of U.S. News & World Report national rankings, and innovations that draw patients from all over the world, we're driven to replace fear with hope and doubt with answers. We believe in the possibility of every child's future. Because it's only impossible until it isn't. We have both inpatient and ambulatory spaces as well as a Level 1 trauma Emergency Department designated to children.

Scope of Work

The Child Life Specialist/Adult and Family Support team member provides developmentally appropriate information about medical tests, procedures, and new diagnoses. They offer procedural support, assist with coping during hospitalization, and manage pain using nonpharmacologic methods. Additionally, they provide support during end-of-life care and bereavement, sharing resources and helping develop legacy materials. This support is available for children of adult patients, adolescent patients transitioning to adult care, and developmentally delayed patients up to 21 years of age.

As an integral member of the multi-disciplinary health care team, the child and family life department holds professionalism in the highest regard. How you represent yourself and our hospital is extremely important. Responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating individual and group child life services provided to patients through Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (HDVCH) in a manner which promotes age appropriate growth and development. Provides diversional and therapeutic play activities and collaborates with the multidisciplinary team to provide an integrated approach. This role serves a variety of patients from General Medical to Psychiatric Pediatric/Adolescent patients.

Qualifications

• Required Bachelor's Degree child life, child development, child psychology, early childhood education, recreational therapy or related degree
• Completion of a 600-hour Child Life Internship Required to qualify
• Certification as Child Life Specialist (CCLS) - CLCC through the Child Life Certification Commission, Required within 1 Year (preferred upon hire)
• AHA or ARC Basic Life Support (BLS) Required within 90 days