Child Life Specialist (CCLS) | Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care | Full-Time

The Staff Pad · Westover Hills, TX Full Time

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Job Description

The Staff Pad is proud to partner with a leading hospice and palliative care provider in in the DFW Metroplex, to hire a compassionate Child Life Specialist (CCLS). This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference by supporting pediatric patients and their families through serious illness with therapeutic interventions, developmental support, grief counseling, and psychosocial care. Reporting to the Director of Family Care Services and working closely with an interdisciplinary care team, you'll help children and families navigate complex medical journeys while connecting them with valuable community resources and family-centered support. Schedule: Full-Time What You'll Do Key Responsibilities Provide age-appropriate therapeutic interventions and developmental support Conduct psychosocial and coping assessments for pediatric patients and families Facilitate grief counseling, sibling support, and bereavement services Use medical play and therapeutic activities to help children understand and cope with illness Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to support patient care planning and psychosocial needs Educate and support parents, caregivers, and healthcare teams on child development and coping strategies Connect families with community resources, support groups, and programs Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation What We Are Looking For Qualifications Bachelor's degree required Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) certification required Minimum 1 year of Child Life Specialist experience Pediatric healthcare, hospice, or palliative care experience preferred Strong communication, documentation, relationship-building & organizational skills Valid Texas Driver's License, reliable transportation, and current auto insurance Additional Requirements Expertise in child development and family-centered care Experience with grief, bereavement, and psychosocial support Skilled in medical play and therapeutic interventions Collaborative team player with the ability to work independently Compassionate, empathetic, and patient-focused approach What You Can Expect Benefits & Perks Competitive salary and mileage reimbursement Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and short term/long term insurance 403(b) retirement plan Generous paid time off, 6 paid holidays, flexible days Training and development opportunities Education Reimbursement Assistance Program Continuing education opportunities Supportive, collaborative team environment If you're passionate about helping children and families navigate life's most challenging moments with compassion and expertise, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and take the next step in a rewarding career where your work truly makes a difference.

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What Most Job Listings Don’t Tell You

General overview for this role type — specific duties and requirements vary by employer.

Support roles in senior living — housekeeping, maintenance, activities, and social work — are far more resident-facing than similar positions in other industries. Housekeepers and maintenance staff interact with residents in their personal living spaces daily, which requires discretion, patience, and genuine respect for the people who live there. In Texas, even non-clinical staff must complete facility-specific training on topics like abuse prevention, infection control, and emergency procedures.

Activities coordinators and social workers play a direct role in resident well-being — isolation and depression are significant concerns in senior living, and programming that keeps residents socially engaged has measurable health outcomes. Maintenance staff in senior care need to understand life-safety systems (fire alarms, emergency generators, call systems) and are often the first responders for building emergencies. Background checks are required for all positions, and many facilities prefer candidates who have previous experience working with older adults.

What to Expect in This Role Day-to-Day

Based on typical senior living facilities in the DFW area.

For housekeeping roles, the day follows a room-by-room schedule — cleaning resident rooms, sanitizing common areas, managing laundry, and responding to spill or accident cleanups as they happen. Infection control protocols are more rigorous than in hotels or commercial cleaning, especially during flu season or respiratory illness outbreaks.

Maintenance staff handle a daily work order queue — everything from changing light bulbs and fixing call buttons to HVAC maintenance and plumbing repairs. Life-safety equipment checks (fire extinguishers, exit lighting, generator testing) happen on set schedules. Activities professionals plan and lead group programming — exercise classes, crafts, music sessions, outings — and also provide one-on-one engagement for residents who cannot participate in group settings. Social workers manage care conferences, discharge planning, family mediation, and community resource referrals. Across all these roles, the common thread is that you become a familiar, trusted presence in residents' daily lives.

DFW Area Salary Data

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Home Health and Personal Care Aide positions in the DFW metroplex area earn a median wage of $12.93/hr ($26,894/yr). The typical range is $11.12 – $14.51/hr (25th–75th percentile).

Entry Level (10th) $22,381/yr

DFW Median $26,894/yr

Experienced (90th) $36,005/yr

vs. National Median -24.9%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area). Salary data provided by DFW Senior Living Guide.