Child Life Specialist
ChristianaCare
Newark, DE

Are you interested in being a part of creating and growing a Child Life Program?

Join our pediatric rehabilitation team as we create a Child Life Program focused on the unique needs of reach infant, child and family we serve, grounded in our values of Excellence and Love.

As the Child Life Specialist you will enhance the experience of pediatric patients and their families by supporting the patients physical, developmental, emotional, and psychosocial well-being through therapeutic play and other programs.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide care appropriate to neonatal, pediatric, and adolescent patients, including knowledge of growth and development
• Provide on-going assessment of therapeutic programs to determine program effect
• Conduct individual or group interventions in settings appropriate for comfort level and developmental progress. Provide appropriate and personalized education to children and families based on individual needs.
• Conduct therapeutic play sessions and activities tailored to the developmental needs of patients
• Offer pre-procedural preparation and support to minimize stress and fear
• Assist families in understanding and navigating the hospital experience
• Assess and prioritize children and families based on psychosocial risk and need. In collaboration with other members of the healthcare team, assesses relevant health care data, developmental data, family variables, cultural and contextual variables for the development of a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate plan of care.
• Plan and implement therapeutic interventions and a variety of individual and group play experiences promoting development, self-expression, and mastery.
• Support children and families through diagnoses, treatments, and transitions of care
• Support patients and families coping with stresses including, but not limited to, loss, grief, and/or bereavement associated with health care experiences through the development of therapeutic and supportive relationships.
• Provide education to patients, family members, and the larger community as appropriate regarding illness/condition, treatment, procedures, and coping techniques
• Recommend referrals to additional multidisciplinary services
• Maintain appropriate documentation of assessments and progress within departmental guidelines and professional standards to monitor progress toward patient goals
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and other relevant departments regarding program development and implementation
• Facilitate ongoing formal and informal education and orientation for a multidisciplinary team on the availability and provision of child life services

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor Degree in Child Life or related field
• Certification as a Child Life Specialist (CCLS) required
• Skill in written, and interpersonal communications
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to independently problem solve and make decisions
• Skilled in developing a supportive relationship with children and families
• Ability to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate problems
• Ability to exercise judgment, tact, and diplomacy when working with people of all ages, temperaments, personalities, and backgrounds
• Ability to foster and maintain a high-quality patient/family experience

ChristianaCare offers:

Incredible Work/Life benefits including medical/dental/ vision insurance coverage on your first day of employment, paid PTO, retirement plans, twelve weeks of paid parental leave, annual membership to care.com, access to backup care services for dependents through Care@Work, retirement planning services, financial coaching, fitness and wellness reimbursement, and great discounts through several vendors for hotels, rental cars, theme parks, shows, sporting events, movie tickets and much more!

If you 're inspired to make a difference, we invite you to become a ChristianaCare caregiver!