Child Life Specialist

Humber River Health. Lighting New Ways In Healthcare.
Since opening our doors in 2015 as North America's first fully digital hospital, we remain unwavering in our belief that we can change the hospital where we work, the community where we live, and the world of healthcare beyond our borders. Serving a community of 850,000 residents in North West Toronto, Equity Inclusivity and active participation in the North West Toronto Ontario Health Team are key initiatives important to our Team. At Humber River Health, we use a custom combination of technology and clinical expertise to rebuild elements of care. We make technology work for staff and physicians; giving them more time to spend with patients, to eliminate inefficiencies, and to reduce the chance of errors. Humber River Health is formally affiliated with both the University of Toronto and Queen's University and committed to becoming a community academic hospital. Clinical Excellence, Optimizing Care through Technology and Community Connection frame our Research Strategy.

At Humber River Health, we're not hoping for a renaissance, we are making it happen. As part of our dynamic team, you can lead the way, as we continue our journey towards high reliability care

Join our Paediatrics team of Child Life Specialists as we work together to improve patient outcomes here at Humber River Health.
Child Life Specialists support children with developmentally appropriate strategies for pain management and anxiety reduction. As an expert in Child development, the Child Life Specialist endeavours to keep life as normal as possible for the child within the healthcare setting. Effective coping through play, self-expression and age appropriate activities are promoted to meet each child's unique needs.At Humber River Health the Allied Health team plays a pivotal role delivering diagnostic, technical, supportive and therapeutic patient care.

Are you a compassionate Child Life Specialist focused on delivering high-quality, safe-care? If yes, we invite you to read the details below then apply.

Employment Status:
P art-time

Hours Of Work
Location: Humber River Health. Wilson Site
Labour Group:
OPSEU 590
Reporting Relationship:
Manager, Paediatrics Inpatient and Outpatient Programs
Hourly Rate:
$ $44.68

Responsibilities

• Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team in the provision of Patient and Family Centered care by participating in the process of assessment, implementation, and evaluation of the plan of care.
• Observes children for levels of growth and development, and perform preliminary developmental assessments.
• Participates in interdisciplinary rounds/patient-care conferences.
• Acts as a resource to parents and hospital staff regarding growth and developmental, as well as psychosocial needs of children.
• Designs and implements appropriate play programs/other experiences for individual children and groups to promote normal growth and development.
• Implements all HRH Child Life Services including; Child Life Surgical Services, Child Life Paediatric Services, Child Life Bereavement Services, Child Life Emergency Services, Child Life Referrals, Child Life Community Services
• Assists in the preparation of children for medical or surgical procedures, and provides support to families as required, with the emphasis on pain management and therapeutic play.
• Maintains safety in the playroom, and ensures that child life equipment is used appropriately in the patients' rooms.
• Assists in providing a pleasant and appropriate environment for children and families.
• Assists in public relation activities and special events relating to children in the Paediatric Unit or the Maternal & Child Program.

Qualifications

• Degree in Early Childhood Education, B.A. in Child Studies or related field.
• Minimum 1 year experience in a hospital setting working with infants, children, adolescents and families.
• Membership in Association of Child Life Professionals required.
• Demonstrates ability to work with an interdisciplinary team.
• Communicates well both verbally and in a written form.
• Excellent interpersonal and empathic skills.
• Good organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize a varied workload.
• Ability to teach effectively, both adults and children.
• Willingness to preceptor and assist with professional development of the Child Life Specialist student.
• Excellent attendance and discipline free record required.
• An understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles as they relate to health practices is an asset. Humber River Health values lived and learned experiences in addressing systemic barriers and advancing inclusive practices.

Why choose Humber River Health?
At Humber River Health, our staff, physicians, and volunteers are lighting new ways in healthcare. We are proud to be recognized as a part of Greater Toronto's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. We support employees by providing evidence-based leadership and cultivating a culture that consistently wows with our unwavering commitment to Staff, Physician and Volunteer engagement. We are a member of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) and are deeply involved in research and academic collaboration. We are dedicated to high-quality patient care and demonstrate our values of compassion, professionalism, and respect.

Humber River Health is committed to creating an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace that reflects the diversity of our communities. Guided by our strategic direction to embed equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do – and to address systemic barriers – we foster a culture where everyone feels respected, valued and empowered to contribute.

We welcome applications from individuals of all equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, persons living with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and seniors. We recognize that diverse identities and perspectives strengthen our ability to deliver safe, innovative and compassionate care.

As an equal opportunity employer, Humber River Health complies with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other protected ground.

Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process and employment. Please contact our recruitment team to discuss your needs confidentially.