Certified Child Life Specialist

Halifax Health - Hospice is seeking a Certified Child Life Specialist.

The Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) is a professional in pediatric healthcare who works with children and families to help minimize stress/anxiety and maximize positive coping throughout the course of their illness.  The CCLS focuses on the psychosocial development of children, provides emotional support and developmentally appropriate information to increase their understanding and coping with medical procedures, diagnosis, pain management and bereavement.  The CCLS also addresses the needs of siblings or other children affected by a child’s illness/diagnosis.  Utilizes play and self-expressive activities as primary resources to minimize the stress and anxiety patients and families can encounter when a child is ill.

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Education, Recreation Therapy, Child Development, Psychology or related field.
• Completion of Child Life internship under a certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS).
• Professional Child Life certification through the Child Life Professional Certification Examination.

• Provides developmentally appropriate education for patients and their families as indicated by presenting appropriate information related to medical procedures, diagnosis, parent education, bereavement, etc.

• Provides emotional support to assist with patient/family coping; to minimize stress relative to their healthcare experience.  Utilizes stress reduction techniques to facilitate positive coping.

• Utilizes play as a primary resource with patients/siblings to enhance coping, promote opportunities for mastery/control and socialization.

• Assess patient/siblings’ developmental levels, coping skills and diversional needs while establishing therapeutic relationships.

• Displays cultural competence with patients/families.

• Manages the intense emotional stress inherent when working with children and families experiencing serious illness or injury end-of-life, death and bereavement.

Recognized as one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ in the United States by IBM Watson Health™, Halifax Health serves Volusia and Flagler counties, providing a continuum of health care services through a network of organizations including a tertiary hospital, two community hospitals, urgent care clinics, psychiatric services, a cancer treatment center with five outreach locations, the area’s largest hospice, a center for inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, primary care walk-in clinics, a clinic specializing in women’s health, a pediatric care community clinic, five pediatric medical practices, a home health care agency and an exclusive provider organization. Halifax Health offers the area’s only Level II Trauma Center, Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC), Center for Transplant Services, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Services, complete Neurosurgical Services, OB Emergency Department and Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for babies born earlier than 28 weeks. For more information, visit halifaxhealth.org.