Child Life Specialist

Scope of Position: The Child Life Specialist in Cancer Support Services provides full provision of psychosocial child life interventions to adult oncology patients at OSUCCC-James and their children/families. The position acts a liaison between physicians, referring and internal hospital healthcare teams and families to assist optimal adjustment and coping through needed cancer care. The child life specialist considers the unique needs of the individual and family, such as coping style, previous experience, developmental level, culture, spirituality, family situation, and emotional state. The child life specialist demonstrates proficiencies in child life standards of practice and clinical competencies, as defined by The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).

Position Summary:

The Child Life Specialist will provide interventions within an adult hospital setting to support adult patients diagnosed with cancer and their children/families with developmentally appropriate education and interventions that support optimal family/child adjustment, coping and understanding of parent/caregiver illness and treatment. Child Life Specialist will promote resilience and minimize stress and anxiety by providing therapeutic interventions for children, families, and their support systems. Empowers families and children/adolescents who have a parent/caregiver diagnosed with cancer during identified stressful events, providing education, opportunities for therapeutic self- expression, and increasing family cohesion and communication regarding their parent or caregivers treatment, hospitalization, illness/injury, and end of life. Provides support and education to adult patients who care for children on child development and coping needs in communicating and understanding the parent/caregivers illness, treatment and/or hospitalization.

The Child Life Specialist will collaborate with healthcare staff and faculty across the hospital setting, provide outreach and education on the psychosocial and developmental needs of children with an adult caregiver navigating a serious illness. Will also participate in program development and facilitation of identified supportive and educational programs designed to support parents/caregivers and families navigating a cancer diagnosis.

The Child Life Specialist is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practice assessments and interventions to address the psychosocial, developmental, and physiological needs of children of parents and/or caregivers with a cancer diagnosis

Minimum Qualifications.

• Minimum of Bachelors Degree required in child life or related field, with certification in child life required.
• Child life specialists must hold professional certification (CCLS) through the ACLP; professional certification must be maintained by child life specialists throughout their tenure.
• Strong knowledge in child development, developmentally appropriate practices, patient assessment, family systems and the psychosocial impact of a parent or caregivers illness and/or hospitalization on children and families.
• Demonstrates proficiency in all child life competencies and standards of clinical practice as defined per The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).
• Commitment to using evidence-based practice assessments, techniques, methods, technology, and programming to meet patient and family needs.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills required, extensive computer skills with windows, word processing, spreadsheet, database, and electronic mail.
• Previous experience in oncology and/or managed health care environment desired. Experience in developing programming and classes; working with groups and group facilitation skills required.
• Evidence of progressively responsible experience in healthcare and proven ability to build consensus, listen and manage customer issues, and work with complex groups and systems is desired.
• Strong leadership skills, ability to take initiative and work within a team environment required.
• Program development and project management skills desired; organizational skills, excellent written and oral communication skills required; sensitivity to and understanding of the continuous and supportive care needs of the child/patient/family with cancer; critical thinking; and demonstrated experience in evaluation (desired). Must possess time management and excellent follow-up skills.

For Hire: On-going: Maintaining appropriate licensure or certification requirements; ongoing advancement of knowledge related to program areas and expertise of delivery.

Career Roadmap:

FUNCTION: Health Care Administration

SUB-FUNCTION: Patient and Family Relations

CAREER BAND: Individual Contributor - Specialized

CAREER LEVEL: S2