Child Life Specialist-Per Diem

Connecticut Children's; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Connecticut Children's in Hartford seeks a Certified Child Life Specialist to support behavioral health patients on the Integrated Care Unit and in the ED, collaborating with the outpatient behavioral health team. You will provide psychosocial support, promote coping, and prepare children and families for procedures through developmentally appropriate education and play.

Responsibilities include planning activities, advocating for patient needs, participating on interdisciplinary teams, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Child Development, or related behavioral sciences field.
• Completion of a 600-hour Child Life internship.
• Master’s degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assess coping needs of patients and families; plan developmentally appropriate activities.
• Develop and implement play-based, educational, therapeutic activities.
• Minimize stress; prepare children and families for procedures with education and tours.
• Coordinate with care teams to support patient and family education.
• Lead group and individual activities; arrange bereavement and sibling support.
• Document observations and participate in quality improvement activities.
• Support ongoing professional development and supervise students.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

PC proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Child Life/related field

600-hour Child Life internship

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Support our behavioral health population on our Integrated Care Unit, an inpatient unit for patients with both medical and psychiatric diagnoses, as well as patients in the behavioral health unit in the ED in collaboration with the outpatient behavioral health child life specialist. Provide psychosocial support, promote positive coping, offer procedural preparation and support, normalize the hospital environment, facilitate special events, and provide group and 1:1 activities. Working Monday–Wednesday–Friday, 10:30 am – 7 pm with the option to pick up additional child life shifts as available.

Responsibilities

Assessment & Planning

• Assess coping responses and needs of assigned patients/families; plan and coordinate appropriate developmental, therapeutic, and educational opportunities during the hospital stay.
• Develop and implement activities, resources, and programs to meet patient/family needs while considering individual family, culture, and developmental stage.

Therapeutic Interventions

• Minimize stress and anxiety for patients by providing developmentally appropriate opportunities that encourage expression of feelings and promote a sense of mastery and understanding of health care experiences.
• Prepare children and families for and support them during tests, surgeries, or other medical procedures through education, tours, rehearsal, and coping skills development while promoting and supporting parental roles.

Essential Life Experience

• Provide essential life experiences that foster continued growth and development during hospital stay, including organizing play activities, coordinating special events, and implementing self‑care activities.
• Participate in the development and implementation of activities with individuals or community groups who interact with children and families.

Health Care Team

• Communicate observations, assessments, and recommendations to other healthcare team members; document care and services provided following established policies and procedures.
• Advocate for patient and family needs and activate appropriate services or referrals.
• Assist in maintaining a safe and therapeutic patient care environment and participate in quality improvement activities.
• Actively participate on interdisciplinary teams and committees.

Education/Collaboration with Community

• Maintain current knowledge of medical conditions and health care experiences of specific patient populations.
• Develop and provide educational resources for medical center staff and community providers regarding developmental needs of children.
• Orient, supervise, and contribute to the evaluation of Child Life students, interns, and hospital volunteers.
• Engage in continual professional development.

Bereavement Support

• Offer age‑appropriate emotional support and education to parents and families in collaboration with the health care team for end‑of‑life care, grief, and loss, facilitating memory‑making activities respecting cultural and traditional practices.

Sibling Support

• Assess and provide support to siblings, both indirectly through parent report and directly through observation and therapeutic interactions, including teaching, orientation, and bereavement support.
• Offer educational support to parents regarding normal and concerning sibling behaviors.
• Provide age‑appropriate opportunities for siblings to participate in hospitalization-related activities.
• Demonstrate knowledge of age‑related differences, cultural sensitivity, and support for the organization’s mission, values, and goals.

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Child Development, or a directly related field in behavioral sciences or human development.
• 600‑hour Child Life internship.

Education and/or Experience Preferred

• Master’s degree.

License and/or Certification Required

• Certified Child Life Specialist (ACLP) issued within one year of hire.
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention training certification within one year of hire and maintained thereafter.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Medical conditions and healthcare experiences of specific patient populations.
• Clinical operations policies and procedures, patient record policies and standards.
• Child development theory and practice.
• Therapeutic play activities, teaching techniques, and patient/family education.
• Legal and ethical issues related to patient rights.
• Crisis intervention techniques.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills; ability to work effectively with diverse community constituencies.
• Basic proficiency with personal computers in a networked Windows‑based health care environment; ability to access, edit, print files, and use Internet for research.

Abilities

• Create effective relationships with individuals of diverse cultural beliefs and lifestyles.
• Observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress.
• Maintain emotional stability while coping with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses.
• Maintain confidentiality of information.
• Make administrative or procedural decisions and judgments.
• Evaluate progress of therapeutic programs and adjust individual plans.
• Lead and train staff or students in child development theory and practice.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team.
• Utilize experience from pre‑admission tours, pre‑procedural teaching, playroom programs, and sibling support.