Child Life Specialist - Maternal Newborn/Paediatrics

Job Description

The Child Life Specialist contributes to excellence in paediatric care by providing psychosocial assessments and support for infants, children, youth and families in hospital. As part of a large inter-professional team, the Child Life Specialist also supports program development and paediatric education across departments and sites.

• Plan and implement a range of developmentally-appropriate interventions to promote effective coping and optimum development.
• Provide education and support to paediatric healthcare teams regarding the implementation and maintenance of child-friendly environments and developmentally-appropriate care.
• Support adaptation to the hospital environment and an understanding of medical experiences by providing therapeutic play and healthcare play opportunities.
• Prepare children, youth, and families cognitively and emotionally for medical and surgical procedures through in-person and virtual programming. Provide procedural support and accompany patients in the Operating Room and diagnostic testing.
• Coordinate and supervise students, volunteers, special visitors and events, including seasonal and holiday planning. Manage and maintain Child Life resources, including toys, educational materials and donations (in collaboration with the Foundation).
• Evaluate and integrate research into practice, and provide knowledge translation resources for staff, physicians, volunteers and families. Develop and maintain policies and procedures for the Child Life Program, and review and adjust as needed.
• Observe, document, and report relevant information relating to patients as it pertains to Child Life services, and work in collaboration with the family and healthcare team to support the patient’s plan of care. Participate and contribute to inter-professional committees that impact paediatric health-related practice.
• Provide in-service and community education as requested.

Qualifications

Halton Healthcare is seeking individuals who are competent in their chosen profession; patient/customer focused; team players; effective communicators; caring and respectful and are fiscally responsible.

• Current Child Life Specialist Certification through the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP), or eligibility to obtain certification within one year
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of child and adolescent development, family dynamics, play, and psychosocial assessments and interventions is essential
• Proven ability to work collaboratively, and independently, in an inter-professional setting
• Excellent professional communication with patients and families, as well as inter-professional teams
• Effective conflict resolution, problem-solving, organizational, and prioritization skills
• Experience working in a multi-site, multi-program setting is an asset
• Clinical hospital experience is considered an asset
• Satisfactory employment and attendance record is required

Additional Information

Hours: Monday to Friday, Days - 0800-1600 (Hours subject to change based on operational requirements)

Salary: $37.835 to $46.090 per hour

Date Posted: July 28, 2026

Internal Applicants due by: August 4, 2026

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Halton Healthcare is an equal opportunity employer who is committed to integrating diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our operations, policies and culture. If you are passionate about what you do, motivated by a job well done, and as committed to excellence, quality and patient satisfaction as we are, we'd like to hear from you. Please attach your current resume directly to this posting.

Please note that while this job is posted on Halton Healthcare's career page, it may also appear on third-party job boards. These external platforms may use automated tools, including artificial intelligence, for candidate screening and matching. We do not control or influence these processes. To ensure your application is reviewed by our team, we recommend applying directly through our Halton Healthcare careers site.

We thank all those who apply but only those individuals selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Halton Healthcare is committed to providing accommodations for applicants with disabilities. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, Halton Healthcare will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment and selection process. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs to ensure your equal participation.

The Ontario Public Hospitals Act mandates that hospitals establish health surveillance programs for all individuals working within the hospital. This regulation requires proof of immunity for certain diseases and as a result, Halton Healthcare requires all new hires to receive pre-employment medical clearance by our Health, Safety & Wellness team, prior to their start date, as a condition of employment. This includes demonstrating compliance with Halton Healthcare’s Immunization Policies.

All new hires must be fully compliant with our Vaccination Policy as a condition of employment with Halton Healthcare. Successful applicants will be required to provide proof of vaccination or proof of a documented medical exemption as part of the hiring process.

All personal information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.