Child Life Specialist 1/2

University of California, San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

This position is focused in the Emergency Department. The Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) builds a sustainable, developmentally supportive, family-centered program addressing the unique neurodevelopmental needs of premature infants. The role incorporates education, play, and sensory regulation techniques; supports caregiver bonding and healthy attachments; and provides interventions addressing medical trauma, long-term hospitalization, and uncertain outcomes. The specialist coordinates programming and special events for pediatric patients and families in Child Life Services programming spaces, orients and supervises interns and volunteers, and assists with training and orientation of new hires. The position works under the supervision of the Child Life Director. UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Child Life Services aims to help children and family members prepare for and cope with health care experiences. Its child life specialists, creative arts therapists, educators, and parent liaisons draw on expertise in child and family development. Through support, play, and education, the team collaborates with caregivers to create a friendly and comfortable medical environment for each child. The role conducts psychosocial assessments and develops treatment plans, delivers child life interventions, and documents assessments, interventions, and care plans in the medical record. It also supports therapeutic environments and programming, provides consultation to the health team, participates in community outreach and multidisciplinary committees, contributes to reporting and research statistics, presents in-services, supervises student interns, and maintains professional development and compliance with medical center policies. The position may be filled at CLS I or CLS II level, with different education, certification, experience, and competency requirements for each level.

Requirements

CLS I: Bachelor's degree in Education, Child Life, Child Development, or a related field.
CLS I: Completion of a 600-hour Child Life internship under the supervision of a certified Child Life Specialist.
CLS I: Proof of eligibility for Child Life certification is required; certification is preferred and must be obtained within 18 months of hire.
CLS II: Master's degree in Education, Child Life, Child Development, or a related field, or five years of experience.
CLS II: Child Life certification is required.
CLS II: At least two years of paid experience as a Child Life Specialist.
Complete the applicable CLS I or CLS II competencies within six months of hire.
CLS I competencies include Environment of Care (Programming), Assessment - Child Development and Family Systems, Age Specific Interventions, Preparation for Medical Treatments and Procedures, Procedural Support and Coping, Therapeutic Play, Documentation and Charting, and Volunteer Supervision.
CLS II competencies include all CLS I competencies plus Student Internship Supervision, End of Life Care, Cultural Awareness, Professionalism, Special Needs, and New Employee Orientation.

Nice To Haves

CLS I: Master's degree preferred.
CLS I: One year of paid experience preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Develop psychosocial assessments and formulate diagnoses and treatment plans based on evaluations of past, present, and predicted future psychosocial and interpersonal functioning.
Implement child life interventions using therapeutic techniques appropriate to competencies of the clinical ladder.
Document developmental assessments, interventions, and care plans in the medical record in accordance with departmental policies.
Oversee therapeutic environments and programming, and supervise volunteers.
Recognize patient and family diversity and develop sensitive interventions that foster appreciation and respect for differences.
Practice according to child life principles, including family-centered care, cultural sensitivity, and developmental sensitivity.
Communicate professionally with colleagues, patients, families, and community members, and evaluate and respond to feedback.
Provide community outreach.
Consult with health team members about psychosocial factors.
Write a component of the yearly annual report and support statistics and research as discussed with the coordinator.
Take responsibility for an administrative area, which may include donations, special visits, volunteers, or the pet therapy program.
Participate in at least two multidisciplinary committees.
Present approximately five in-services per year, internally or externally, on child life-related topics.
Serve as primary supervisor for student interns for at least one semester per year.
Maintain responsibility for personal professional development and practice, and follow medical center-wide policies and procedures.
Coordinate programming and special events for pediatric patients and families in Child Life Services programming spaces.
Provide orientation and supervision for Child Life Services interns and volunteers.
Assist with training and orientation of new hires.
Support caregiver bonding and healthy attachments, and provide interventions addressing medical trauma, long-term hospitalization, and uncertain outcomes.