Child Life Specialist

The Child Life Specialist (CLS) works in health care and community settings to address the psychosocial, emotional, and family concerns that accompany the illness and injury of infants, children, adolescents, and youth. The CLS utilizes developmentally appropriate information, procedure support, emotional processing, play, self-expression and empowerment to improve the coping and adjustment of patients and families. As a member of the psychosocial team, the CLS collaborates with the multidisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure that emotionally safe, family-centered care is being provided to patients and families.

In addition, the CLS takes an active role in developing and maintaining resources, planning, and facilitating special events and providing educational opportunities throughout Children's Hospital Colorado (CHCO) and the community.

This patient population presents unique challenges related to communication, sensory processing, anxiety, behavioral regulation, and participation in unfamiliar healthcare environments.

This position is made possible by and is funded through third party grants and/or restricted funding. The length of the assignment is dependent on the grant program and on funding availability. Based on current funding, the anticipated end date for this assignment is 5/31/2031. This position will be reviewed and may be extended in accordance with the grant. Should this position be discontinued and/or eliminated for any reason, it is not eligible for severance.

• Applies formal and informal techniques to assess patient/family acuity and psychosocial risk while adapting services to meet the patient/family's needs, goals, and preferences. Collect, interpret, and integrate relevant data into psychosocial assessment and plan of care.
• Provides education on the scope of child life services, the impact of healthcare on development, providing developmentally appropriate and emotionally safe medical care and professional boundaries for primary unit/population.
• Provides guidance, feedback, and professional skill development opportunities for child life students.
• Considers the impact of diagnosis, procedures, and treatment. Incorporates into interventions the anticipated impacts of illness, injury, and healthcare experiences.
• Facilitates basic interventions which allow children/youth to express feelings, process upsetting events, and explore positive coping skills while creating opportunities which strengthen the patient’s self-esteem, independence, and understanding of medical diagnosis and care.
• Utilizes best practice and/or evidenced-based practice to ensure high level of care.
• Facilitates basic interventions including psychological preparation and/or procedure support to infants/children/youth undergoing medical procedures or surgeries to improve coping and understanding.
• Implements short-and long-term plans, resources, and/or programming to provide support for patients and families; monitors progress and evaluates overall developmental response to hospitalization and/or medical care.
• Collaborates with internal and external CHCO organizational partners and participates in special events including fundraising efforts, to foster hospital engagement.
• Documents in the patient electronic medical record to meet regulatory and departmental documentation and productivity requirements.
• Participates in departmental committees, quality improvement, professional development, and/or research initiatives/programs related to child life services.

• Degrees
  • Bachelor's
• Area of Study
  • Child Life, Child Life Dev, Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or Education.
• Experience

  • Successful completion of 600 hours of child life internship under the direct supervision of a…