Child Life Specialist

CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST

Department: Psychosocial, Grief and Bereavement

Reports To: Manager, Psychosocial, Grief and Bereavement Services

Location: 277 Stone Church Road East, Hamilton, ON L9B 1B1

Employment Type: Full-time

Pay Band: To be determined

Effective Date: Immediately

 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Child Life Specialist provides compassionate, developmentally appropriate clinical grief and bereavement support to children, teens, and families experiencing the serious illness or death of a loved one. The role prioritizes direct therapeutic work, helping young people understand concepts of death and dying, process anticipatory grief, cope during end-of-life experiences, and navigate bereavement after a loss through evidence-informed, trauma-informed practice.

The Specialist delivers individualized support, facilitates therapeutic play and expressive activities, and leads group programs to promote healthy coping and emotional resilience, while also providing professional leadership for children’s grief programming across the Kemp Care Network.

This position plays a key role in delivering and strengthening KCN’s children’s grief services for children and youth from across the city who are grieving a wide range of losses (e.g., parents, grandparents, siblings, friends). The Child Life Specialist also supports the planning and delivery of Camp Keaton, an annual weekend grief camp, as part of a broader continuum of children’s grief supports.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Child Life or a related clinical discipline (e.g., Social Work, Psychology, Counselling) from a recognized university or college.
• Minimum 3 – 5 years of direct, clinical practice providing grief and bereavement support to children and youth (individual and/or group).
• Experience working with children and families experiencing illness, grief, bereavement, or trauma.
• Hospice, palliative care, and/or other healthcare experience is required.
• Strong skills in play-based interventions, child development, and supporting grief across developmental stages.
• Compassionate, emotionally resilient, excellent communicator, demonstrated ability to build rapport and trust with children, and history of strong family engagement skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team, with a high degree of professional autonomy and initiative.
• Ability to assess and support volunteers supporting children and family programming.
• Must have, or be willing to secure, a Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) designation or eligibility is strongly preferred.
• Applicants with an MSW/RSW, psychology, or other graduate-level clinical background who have significant experience in children’s grief and bereavement (or an equivalent combination of education and experience) are also encouraged to apply.

 

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrated competence in crisis intervention, risk assessment, and safety planning for children and youth experiencing grief and loss.
• Ability to establish rapport and therapeutic alliance with children and youth who are grieving.
• Demonstrated clinical competence in trauma-informed, child- and family-centred grief and bereavement care.
• Demonstrated cultural competency and experience working with diverse populations, including equity-deserving and marginalized communities.
• Self-starter with strong initiative, able to identify needs, adapt supports (including outreach to schools or community settings), and respond within established clinical and organizational guidelines.
• Strong organizational, time management, and program coordination skills.

 

CERTIFICATIONS:

• Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential (or eligibility in progress) and/or other advanced training in children’s grief, bereavement, and trauma-informed practice are strong assets.
• If you do not have specific certifications, but have palliative care, grief and bereavement, child life, trauma-informed practice, or related specialty training, please describe this in your application.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Support to Children & Families

• Provide clinical leadership for children’s grief services across Kemp Care Network, ensuring services are trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, and responsive to community needs.
• Conduct person-centred assessments of emotional, developmental, and psychosocial needs to create individualized support plans. Collaborate with other psychosocial hospice team members to provide cohesive support.
• Provide clinical, 1:1 grief and psychosocial support for children and adolescents affected by the illness or death of a family member or other significant person.
• Use developmentally appropriate language, play-based interventions, and expressive therapies (art, music, storytelling, journaling) to help children understand illness, death, and grief.
• Offer anticipatory grief support to children with a loved one receiving hospice care.
• Collaborate with parents/guardians to enhance communication, strengthen family coping strategies, and guide them in supporting grieving children.
• Assess and respond to crisis situations, risk indicators, and safety concerns with appropriate clinical judgment and referral.

Program Development & Group Interventions

• Contribute to delivering and strengthening the ongoing children’s grief program, with opportunities for program development and enhancement.
• Facilitate grief support groups for children and teens, both in-person and/or virtual.
• Develop and maintain age-appropriate grief resources, activities, and educational materials.
• Plan, organize, and co-lead the organization’s children’s grief camp (Camp Keaton), including curriculum development, staff/volunteer support and training, activity planning, and onsite facilitation.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Work closely with hospice nurses, social workers, music therapists, counselors, and volunteers to ensure coordinated family-centered care.
• Provide educational webinars to community members about child development and grief responses as well as best practices for supporting children during end-of-life experiences.

Family & Community Outreach

• Serve as a resource to schools, community partners, and other agencies regarding childhood grief and bereavement.
• Engage in culturally responsive outreach to ensure children and families from diverse backgrounds and equity-deserving populations have equitable access to grief support.
• Support outreach efforts that expand access to bereavement services.
• Occasional counselling sessions are provided in community or in a child’s home or school setting if this is necessary to facilitate a child’s access to grief support, with particular attention to reducing barriers such as transportation or school schedules.

Documentation & Administration

• Maintain timely, accurate, and confidential documentation in accordance with organizational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Track program participation, evaluate outcomes, and support program improvement initiatives. Participate in quality improvement, data collection, and evaluation activities related to children’s grief services.
• Participate in regular clinical supervision and reflective practice to support professional development and self-care.

 

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This is an onsite position at Dr. Kemp’s House, working 37.5 hours per week during regular business hours, with on occasion evening or weekend hours, and occasional local travel
• The working environment is collaborative, dynamic, and mission-focused, with a commitment to diversity, accessibility, and supporting staff well-being

 

WHO WE ARE

Who We Are

Kemp Care Network (KCN) is more than just an organization; it’s a compassionate community dedicated to serving the emotional, physical, social, and spiritual needs of individuals and their loved ones, living with a serious illness, facing their last chapter or grieving a death.

Our History

Thirty years ago, Dr. Bob Kemp recognized an opportunity to redefine how palliative care was offered in the Greater Hamilton Area. Foremost, a founding value was to serve all, especially the most vulnerable. And it all started with a generous donation of land by Iris Berryman.

Mission/Vision

Mission

To care for every individual and their loved ones with dignity, compassion and attention to their physical, social and psychological well-being during times of serious, life-limiting illness and loss.

We lead, collaborate and drive meaningful improvements to palliative care services with partners across our community.

Vision

To establish KCN as a world-class leader in regional palliative-care in alignment with our founding values while evolving to best serve our community.

Values

• Dignity: We focus on quality of living and ensuring the experience of our residents and their families is based in dignity and respect.
• Compassion: Our care for residents and their families is based in compassion, empathy and kindness.
• Collaboration: We actively build relationships and work with partners and our community as part of a continuum of care.
• Inclusivity: We welcome diversity in our residents and deliver care in an inclusive manner that considers their unique needs.
• Excellence: We are dedicated to a high quality of care and strive to continually improve and contribute to the advancement of our field.

 

EQUITY & ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

Kemp Care Network (KCN) is committed to providing equal treatment with respect to employment in accordance with the protected grounds established under the Ontario Human Rights Code. We will work to ensure that all employees (workers) are provided with meaningful employment that is ethical and fair, and is in compliance with all applicable employment, and human rights legislation. KCN provides accessible employment in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. We strive to provide an accessible and welcoming environment for everyone by identifying and removing barriers in our workplace and ensuring that new barriers are not created. The organization ensures that persons with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities. We are committed to meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in a timely and integrative manner that respects their dignity and independence. Accommodations are available on request for all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Applicants requiring accommodation are encouraged to make their needs known in advance.