• Provide creative play experiences that promote child development.
• Help build parents' confidence and skills in parenting.
• Collaborate with a new team to implement and evaluate a new program.

Working in Healthcare has never been more important or meaningful.

Our Journey

Monash Children’s Hospital is one of Australia’s leading providers of integrated children’s health services, and one of the largest children’s hospitals in Australia. We care for more than 100,000 children every year. Monash Children’s Hospital is a network of paediatric healthcare services with the main campus co-located with Monash Medical Centre, and services at Dandenong Hospital and Casey Hospital. The Casey Early Parenting Service will provide specialist support for Victorian families with children from birth to four years of age. The Centre will deliver flexible, targeted services that aim to enhance the parent-child relationship and support parents with strategies to achieve their parenting goals, in areas such as sleep and settling’ child behaviour, parent and child health and wellbeing. The Casey Early Parenting Centre is a nurse-led multi-disciplinary service based on a wellness model of care to strengthen parenting skills. The service will provide interventions that support parents and caregivers who are struggling with their parenting role to build stronger capabilities and link families back to services in their local community.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Grade 2 Child Life / Play therapist to be based at The Casey Early Parenting Service in Cranbourne. This role is a permanent on-going part-time position (4 days per week/ 0.8EFT).

A Day in the Life

The Child Life/Play therapist will contribute their specialist knowledge and skills in child development and education to provide play opportunities that facilitate and strengthen parent child relationships, promote wellbeing and support the child's development. The Child Life/Play therapist will be a collaborative team member contributing their expertise within a multi-disciplinary team supporting children and their parents/caregivers.

• Provide play experiences attuned to family’s needs and preferences, that support the development of each child
• Work alongside parents to strengthen child and caregiver relationships and build their confidence and skills
• Collaborate with the team to build and evaluate new child and family centred service provision

About You

You are an experienced professional with a degree in health or education that equips you to deliver play experiences that engage children and their families within a multi-disciplinary team. You demonstrate:

• A strong knowledge of the importance of play for children's development, well-being and bonding with their caregivers
• Experience and initiative to implement a new Child Life/Play therapy service
• Strong foundational skills in early childhood development and creative approaches to individualised child-centred and family-centred care
• A desire to collaborate with others and show exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
• Creativity in problem solving and a flexible approach

What you need:

• Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood or Primary Teaching (4 years full time) or equivalent postgraduate qualification if either undergraduate or postgraduate qualification includes at least 2 years study of child development
• A degree or higher qualification in a health related field that includes at least 2 years of study in child development (for example, Occupational Therapy)
• Eligible for full professional membership of the Association of Child Life Therapists Australia

For a confidential discussion and to explore the opportunity further, please call Heather Davey – Director of Allied Health on 0408 348 425.

Monash Health is a great place to work

In 2022 Monash Health was nominated by LinkedIn as one of the top 25 organisations in Australia to grow your career. Our employees enjoy a range of benefits including:

• salary packaging options that increase your take-home pay
• a comprehensive Health and Wellbeing program
• free vaccinations
• private health insurance at discounted rates
• health imaging services
• + more

Monash Health is Victoria’s largest public health service and proudly provides healthcare to one quarter of Melbourne’s population, across the entire lifespan from newborn and children, to adults, the elderly, their families and carers. More than 22,000 of us work at over 40 care locations across south-eastern Melbourne. We recognise the value of equal employment opportunity and is committed to patient safety and promoting fairness, equity and diversity in the workplace. At Monash Health we are relentless in our pursuit of excellence and work to our six guiding principles and our five ICare values.

How to Apply

Applications are only accepted that are submitted via the Monash Health online Mercury System (e-recruit). Please click 'Apply Now' to be redirected.