ChicagoCAC employees are expected to perform their job duties and act in a manner consistent with the organization's Core Values. 

Responsibility Summary

Oversees the child life department, providing leadership and support to child life specialists, child life assistants, child life students, and volunteers who help children and their families by providing developmentally appropriate support, preparation, and therapeutic play opportunities.

DEI&AB Culture Commitment: The CLS is responsible for creating an inclusive environment that demonstrates equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging to our clients, ChicagoCAC employees, and partners. The position also assists in ChicagoCAC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging (DEIAB) initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising child life staff, students, and volunteers.
• Provide a range of culturally competent and developmentally appropriate activities and special programming for families.
• Responsible for child life staff’s assessment and support of children, to promote effective coping among families through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration between child life staff and ChicagoCAC and Partner staff to provide the highest standard of care to families.
• Develop, revise, and implement child life policies and procedures.
• Maintain safety standards for child life staff, ChicagoCAC families, and child life spaces throughout the center. 
• Participate in leadership meetings, activities, and trainings.
• Participate in local networking and training opportunities.
• Maintain Child Life Certification. 
• Attend Multidisciplinary team meetings 
• Serve as a leader in the Advocacy & Investigative Services department.
• Represent the profession of Child Life in a non-traditional child life setting. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Discretion

Child Life Supervisor has a mid-level range of discretion and independent decision-making.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position supervises all child life specialists, assistants, students, and volunteers. 

Supervisory staff are expected to participate either as a volunteer or paid attendee at organization fundraisers (including but not limited to: Luminary Award Dinner, Night of Heroes, etc.) Supervisory staff are also expected to participate in ChicagoCAC-sponsored client/staff/community events (including but not limited to: Child Abuse Prevention Month Activities, Back to School Backpack Drive, Kid’s Holiday Party, Spirit Squad Events, etc.) It is expected that our supervisory staff participate in as many of these events as possible. 

Relationships 

Child Life Supervisor works closely with staff from the following teams: Mental Health, Advocacy, Forensic Interviewing, Medical Clinic, and Support Services. 

Qualifications  

Masters of Arts or Science in Child Life, Child Development, Early Childhood Education, or related field. Child Life Certification. A minimum of 2 years' experience working with children in high-pressure situations through a trauma-informed approach—supervisory experience preferred. Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification is required within the first 6 months of employment. Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

About Chicago Children's Advocacy Center

Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center and our partners are the front-line responders in Chicago to reports of child sexual abuse. We also respond to physical abuse, witness to violence, and other cases of serious maltreatment. Since opening our doors in 2001, we have served more than 46,000 children. ChicagoCAC is the city’s only nonprofit organization that coordinates the efforts of child protection staff, law enforcement professionals, family advocates, medical experts, and mental health clinicians under one roof. Our staff: facilitates our partners’ collaborative response arranges families’ visits to the center, including support services such as transportation and child life conducts forensic interviews provides family advocacy and crisis intervention services provides mental health therapy All of our services are aimed at reducing trauma so that children and families may begin the healing process. ChicagoCAC’s services are free of charge to every client.

Connections working at Chicago Children's Advocacy Center