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Child Life programming is based on an understanding of normal human development and the impact that illness, injury, disability, and hospitalization have on this process. Program elements are designed to reduce distress, increase adaptive coping and protect and enhance developmental integrity, by offering opportunities to play, learn and interact with others in an emotionally and physically safe environment.
In collaboration with other health providers and in the context of a supportive and trusting relationship with children and families, child life services shall include the following:
• Provide opportunities for and assists in facilitating a variety of play and activity forms that promote self-healing, self-expression, understanding and mastery.
• Utilize therapeutic play techniques as a diagnostic and treatment tools.
• Support family bonds and utilize family strengths in the care of the child.
• Provide orientation to health care experiences and personnel.
• Use developmentally appropriate methods in preparing children and families for diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Provide emotional support during identified stress points.
• Utilize stress reduction techniques to facilitate effective coping.
• Interpret the child’s perception of his diagnosis and treatment, as revealed through play and other means of verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Offer counsel specific to the impact of the health care experience.
• Extend support and offer counsel to family members with respect to their own stress and needs.
• Coordinate with programs to facilitate continuity of care after the child’s hospitalization, (i.e., the school system, daycare, or special children’s clinics).
• Provide or cooperate with programs which assure continuity in the child’s normal life experience, (i.e., school and holiday celebrations).
• Provide interdisciplinary in-services for hospital staff, students, and members of the community on child development; the emotional impact of illness, injury and hospitalization on children and families; safety; and behavioral management.
• Provide consultation to the health care team regarding the developmental status, emotional status, and individual needs of children, to promote adaptation to treatment.
• Provide consultation on impact of environmental and social factors on the child’s adaptation to hospitalization and treatment.
• Facilitate planning, rehearsing and implementing of coping strategies, with children and families.
• Participate in continuing educational opportunities, both as a presenter and as a participant, and report information back to the department and healthcare team.
• Provide child health care education.
• Maintain good inter-departmental communication and work, with related programs in the health care setting and other associated organizations.
• Provide counsel and support to children/adolescents throughout the hospital, for help with bereavement or coping issues.
The intensity and frequency of patient intervention will depend on the daily census.
This position has the responsibility to organize and prioritize the daily activities of the Child Life Program. The incumbent can make decisions regarding the needs of the child, based upon his/her level of education and training.
Decisions referred to the unit manager or child life specialist include patient and/or peer conflict, unit management protocol, and unusual circumstances that do not follow established guidelines.
This position provides child life services to a varied population due to age, illness, and ethnic background. It is the expectation to involve the family unit in its entirety through the entire illness process.
Incumbent must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care based on physical, motor/sensory, psychosocial, and safety appropriate to neonate, infant, child, and adolescent patients and must meet standards of quality, as measured by the unit/department age specific competency standards.
This position provides patient care.
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